MacAroni Con Queso

This is mac and cheese with a Tex-Mex attitude. Instead of a traditional bechamel, the sauce starts with chile con queso thinned out with milk, giving the pasta a spicy, melty, pepper-laced coating that regular cheddar sauce can’t compete with.

Fresh chopped tomatoes and snipped cilantro get stirred in with the cooked macaroni, adding brightness and color that cuts through the rich cheese. The whole thing goes into a casserole dish topped with shredded cheese for extra gooey pull and crushed tortilla chips for a salty, crunchy lid.

Thirty minutes in the oven bubbles the cheese into golden pools and crisps those tortilla chips into a topping that shatters with every forkful.

Kitchen Tips

• Use your favorite chile con queso recipe or a good store-bought version. The quality of the queso is the backbone of this dish
• Add the milk to the queso while it’s warm so it incorporates smoothly without clumping
• Don’t overcook the macaroni. Cook it just under al dente since it continues cooking for 30 minutes in the oven
• Crush the tortilla chips coarsely, not to dust. You want pieces big enough to stay crunchy after baking

Variations

• Stir in cooked chorizo or seasoned ground beef for a heartier one-dish meal
• Add diced roasted green chiles or pickled jalapenos for extra heat
• Use pepper jack cheese on top instead of regular for a spicier, more assertive crust