Side Dishes

Mexican Mac & Cheese Cups

Give your mac and cheese a latin accent with pepperjack cheese, taco seasoning, and tortilla chips for texture and crunch—all in a single-serving cup. These make for tasty game-day appetizers or an easy-cheesy late-night snack.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Challenge Spreadable Butter with Avocado Oil, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2 Tablespoons Challenge Salted Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
  • ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Directions

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Use a paper towel to scoop out one Tablespoon Challenge Spreadable Butter with Avocado Oil and spread it in a thin layer inside each well of a 12-well muffin tin. Set aside.
  • 2
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructs. Drain, toss with 1 teaspoon Challenge Spreadable Butter with Avocado Oil and set aside.
  • 3
    Melt 2 Tablespoons Challenge Salted Butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until completely smooth. Stir in taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 8-10 minutes.
  • 4
    Stir in Colby Jack cheese and whisk until smooth and melted. Taste and add salt, if needed. Remove from heat, add pasta, and toss to coat.
  • 5
    Divide the pasta among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle each with pepper jack and crushed tortilla chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and lift them out.