This pasta recipe is very quick and easy to prepare, and it’s also a very popular recipe for kids! Mac and Cheese is not a traditional Mexican recipe, but it has somehow been adopted in many Mexican homes and is a favorite at children’s parties and other types of celebrations.
I think that maybe someone, many years ago, was trying to imitate the popular American dish and lacked yellow cheddar cheese, and decided to add the red bell pepper instead to give color to the pasta. At least, that’s my theory about why this recipe is prepared the way it is.
Easy and Quick Mexican Style Mac & Cheese
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® La Moderna but all opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyExceptionalPasta #GoldenHarvest 
As many of you may know, American meals have a significant influence on the border states of Mexico, in the same way, that you find Mexican dishes being adopted in the United States, like in Texas and Arizona, where you find that burritos or chimichangas are an everyday kind of thing for some. This pasta dish is one of the American dishes that has made its way into Mexican homes; I grew up in a state bordering the US, and this way of preparing pasta has been around since I was a kid. It also made with other types of pastas, like spaghetti or penne.
I often shop at Wal-Mart, and I was very surprised to see La Moderna brand pasta boxes alongside the other premium pasta brands since they’re usually placed in the Latin food section. And let me tell you, I’m so glad that they finally have the place they deserve; this brand has been around for ages in my country, and it has a lot of prestige due to the quality of their products, besides being a high protein pasta. I hope you check out La Moderna the next time you’re in the mood for pasta (they come in a black and golden box).
Enjoy the recipe!
How to make Mexican Style Mac and Cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- Place water, salt, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high. Once the water starts boiling, add the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the onion and garlic. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Place cheese, roasted bell pepper, evaporated milk and reserved onion and garlic into your blender pitcher. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn it. Once it has melted, add the cheese and bell pepper sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the pasta with the sauce and cook for another 2 more minutes, just enough time to mix well.
Serve immediately. Add some crushed pepper, if desired. If you don’t plan to serve it right away, add a couple of tablespoons of milk when reheating, since the sauce tends to get dry when cold.
MEXICAN STYLE MAC & CHEESE
Ingredients
- 8 ounces “La Moderna” macaroni
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ of a medium size onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups of water
- 1 roasted red bell pepper*
- 8 ounces shredded or cubed cheddar cheese or American cheese
- 1 cup evaporated milk**
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Salt and pepper
- Red crushed pepper optional
Instructions
- Place water, salt, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high. Once the water starts boiling, add the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the onion and garlic.
- Place cheese, roasted bell pepper, evaporated milk and reserved onion and garlic into your blender pitcher. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn it. Once it has melted, add the cheese and bell pepper sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the pasta with the sauce and cook for another 2 more minutes, just enough time to mix well.
- Serve immediately. Add some crushed pepper, if desired. If you don’t plan to serve it right away,
- add a couple of tablespoons of milk when reheating, since the sauce tends to get dry when cold.
Notes
**You can substitute the evaporated milk for regular milk, or better yet, you can use Mexican cream.
To enjoy a completely different take on this pasta, add one chipotle pepper, it’s simply delicious! And one last note: in Mexico, American cheese is usually the one used instead of cheddar cheese.
Nutrition
Mexican Style Mac and Cheese
Enjoy!
Provecho!
Mely Martínez,
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Tina Salas
Hi
Is the Velveeta cheese the same as American cheese? Where do I get the American cheese from the deli counter at the market? By the way can’t wait till your book comes out!
Mely Martínez
Hello Tina,
The American cheese is like the Kraft brand american singles. Yellow-colored square slices.
Nikki Sullivan
This has become our family’s favorite Mac and cheese!
Quick and easy, too!
Mely Martínez
Hello Nikki,
Thank you for trying the Mexican Version of Mac & cheese!