Description
This Mexican Mac and Cheese is a flavorful twist on the classic comfort food, combining hearty rigatoni pasta with spicy pork sausage, green chiles, and salsa verde. Topped with melted Mexican blend cheese and garnished with fresh cherry tomatoes and cilantro, this dish is perfect for a cozy family dinner or a crowd-pleasing party meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta (1 box)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sausage Mixture
- 16 ounces pork sausage (bulk or casings removed)
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 envelope)
- 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles (1 can, undrained)
- 16 ounces salsa verde
Cheese & Garnish
- 16 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese (2 bags)
- Diced cherry tomatoes, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line it with foil for easier cleanup. Set aside.
- Cook the Pasta: In a large pot of salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Cook the Sausage and Aromatics: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork sausage and chopped onion, crumbling the sausage with a spatula as it cooks.
- Add Seasoning and Sauce: When the sausage is almost cooked through, stir in taco seasoning and chopped green chiles with their juices. Cook for 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
- Incorporate the Salsa Verde: Remove skillet from heat and stir in salsa verde until everything is well combined, creating a flavorful base.
- Layer the Pasta and Cheese: Combine cooked rigatoni with the sausage mixture. In the prepared baking dish, layer half the pasta mixture, then sprinkle 8 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese evenly over the top. Add the remaining pasta mixture and finish with the remaining 8 ounces of cheese.
- Bake and Garnish: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. Garnish with diced cherry tomatoes and fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Use rigatoni or any similar tube-shaped pasta that holds sauce well.
- Bulk sausage is easier to crumble and mix evenly.
- For extra spice, add more chopped green chiles or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Use foil to line the baking dish for easier cleanup.
