This easy and delicious Pioneer Woman Fiesta Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor, making it perfect for any weeknight. With simple ingredients like macaroni, cheese, and fresh corn, you can easily customize this dish to your liking. Enjoy a hot, satisfying meal in no time!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 1/2 pounds elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Two 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles
- 1 cup cubed processed cheese (such as Velveeta)
- 2 cups freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated pepper jack cheese
- One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and chiles, undrained
- 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
- Chili powder, for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
How To Make Fiesta Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just undercooked, about 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the corn and onion mixture: Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced red onions and corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions are golden brown and the corn starts to blister. Stir in the diced green chiles and cook for an additional minute. Set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add the half-and-half, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens. Stir in the adobo sauce, processed cheese, 1 cup Monterey Jack, and 1 cup pepper jack cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
- Combine the pasta and sauce: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat. Fold in the diced tomatoes and chiles.
- Assemble the casserole: Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the macaroni mixture, then top with half of the corn and onion mixture. Repeat the layers, finishing with the corn mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1 cup pepper jack cheese over the top. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips evenly on top and dust with chili powder.
- Bake the casserole: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and golden. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.
- Freezer option: Let the casserole cool completely. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the frozen casserole, covered, for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the macaroni: Cook the pasta just until it’s al dente (slightly firm). Overcooking can make it mushy in the casserole.
- Use fresh corn for better flavor: Fresh corn adds sweetness and texture. If using frozen corn, make sure to thaw it first.
- Mix cheeses for the best melt: Combining Monterey Jack, pepper jack, and Velveeta gives you the perfect creamy and melty texture.
- Don’t skip the tortilla chips on top: Crushed tortilla chips add a crunchy texture that balances the creaminess of the dish.
- Freeze for later meals: This mac and cheese can be frozen for a quick meal later. Just let it cool, cover it tightly, and freeze for up to a month.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Cover leftovers fiesta mac and cheese and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Cover leftovers fiesta mac and cheese recipe and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat to heat through.
- Reheating: To reheat leftovers fiesta mac and cheese recipe, simply cover the dish with foil and reheat at 375°F for 20 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Total Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
- Sodium: 1355 mg
- Potassium: 271 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 39 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Sugars: 4 g
- Protein: 17 g
More Pioneer Woman Recipes:
Pioneer Woman Fiesta Mac and Cheese Recipe
Description
This easy and delicious Pioneer Woman Fiesta Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor, making it perfect for any weeknight. With simple ingredients like macaroni, cheese, and fresh corn, you can easily customize this dish to your liking. Enjoy a hot, satisfying meal in no time!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just undercooked, about 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the corn and onion mixture: Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced red onions and corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions are golden brown and the corn starts to blister. Stir in the diced green chiles and cook for an additional minute. Set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add the half-and-half, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens. Stir in the adobo sauce, processed cheese, 1 cup Monterey Jack, and 1 cup pepper jack cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
- Combine the pasta and sauce: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat. Fold in the diced tomatoes and chiles.
- Assemble the casserole: Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the macaroni mixture, then top with half of the corn and onion mixture. Repeat the layers, finishing with the corn mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1 cup pepper jack cheese over the top. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips evenly on top and dust with chili powder.
- Bake the casserole: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and golden. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.
- Freezer option: Let the casserole cool completely. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the frozen casserole, covered, for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the macaroni: Cook the pasta just until it’s al dente (slightly firm). Overcooking can make it mushy in the casserole.
- Use fresh corn for better flavor: Fresh corn adds sweetness and texture. If using frozen corn, make sure to thaw it first.
- Mix cheeses for the best melt: Combining Monterey Jack, pepper jack, and Velveeta gives you the perfect creamy and melty texture.
- Don’t skip the tortilla chips on top: Crushed tortilla chips add a crunchy texture that balances the creaminess of the dish.
- Freeze for later meals: This mac and cheese can be frozen for a quick meal later. Just let it cool, cover it tightly, and freeze for up to a month.
Pioneer Woman Fiesta Mac and Cheese Recipe