This spicy southwest mac and cheese is loaded with flavor and fresh veggies. A Tex Mex pasta dish with whole food ingredients.
recipe originally published March 5, 2012
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Why you'll love this recipe
When you are craving comfort food and also want fresh veggies? Make this spicy southwest mac and cheese! It has all the crunchy crisp veggies, beans for protein, southwest flavors from spices, and a tangy vegan cheese sauce.
The Tex Mex flavors in this pasta pair well with the vegetables we add: three kinds of peppers, fresh summer corn, and creamy cool avocado. The leftovers are one of those lunches you look forward to...
How to make southwest mac and cheese
This Tex Mex pasta dish is as easy as boiling pasta, quickly blending up a cheese sauce, and prepping some veggies. Those last two parts are done in the time it takes to boil pasta.
I sometimes make this and just add whatever veggies I have. I almost always have bell peppers and jalapeño peppers, and during the summer I always have fresh corn. Tex Mex dishes often use black beans, but I love a pinto or even a cannellini bean in this dish.
The way I serve this changes, and I don't even know why. Sometimes I stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and veggies, and other times I pour the cheese sauce and southwest veggie bean mixture on top of the pasta after it is plated.
The flavors are the same, and you can make this as spicy or mild as you want. If you like spicy, just wash the jalapeño peppers and slice them up. If you like the flavor of jalapeños but not the potential spice, remove the seeds as you are trimming the stem and slicing.
Shortcuts to make this pasta
There are several short cuts to make this easy pasta recipe even faster!
- Canned or frozen corn is just as good as fresh
- Taco seasoning can take the place of the individual spices
- Use Rotel instead of the bell peppers and green chiles
How long does this recipe last?
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy this Tex Mex pasta within three days.
Refrigerate any leftovers. Wait until it is cooled completely, and refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.
Reheating methods
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
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Southwest Macaroni and Cheese
This spicy southwest mac and cheese is loaded with flavor and fresh veggies. A Tex Mex pasta dish with whole food ingredients that is quick and easy.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces gluten free pasta (macaroni / penne style)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (see notes for oil free method)
- 1 sweet or yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, trimmed, cored and sliced
- 1 orange or red bell pepper, trimmed, cored and diced
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced Hatch green chiles
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
- kernels cut from 2 fresh ears of corn or 1 (15 ounce) can / frozen
- 1 ½ cups Vegan Cheese Sauce
southwest spice blend
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon pinch sea salt
garnish
- cherry tomatoes
- avocado
- fresh jalapeno slices
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions.
Prepare the remaining ingredients
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the jalapeno and bell peppers and green chiles, stir to combine and sauté long enough to soften the peppers to your liking.
- Add the pinto beans, corn, and the southwest spice blend to the onion pepper mixture. Continue cooking until warmed through.
Serving options
- Add the cheese sauce and pasta to the skillet and combine. Garnish with green onion and serve, OR
- Divide the pasta into individual portion bowls and and pour the cheese sauce over the top of the pasta. Add the southwest bean and veggie mixture to the pasta. Garnish with green onions.
Notes
oil free recipe option
Use vegetable broth in place of the olive oil for sautéing.
Spicy or mild - you choose!
You can make this pasta as spicy or mild as you want.
- If you like spicy, just wash the jalapeño peppers and slice them up.
- If you like the flavor of jalapeños but not the potential spice, remove the seeds as you are trimming the stem and slicing.
Shortcuts to make this pasta
There are several short cuts to make this easy pasta recipe even faster!Â
- Canned or frozen corn is just as good as fresh
- Taco seasoning can take the place of the individual spices
- Use Rotel instead of the bell peppers and green chiles
How long does this recipe last?
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy this Tex Mex pasta within three days.
Refrigerate leftovers. Wait until completely cool and refrigerate in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.Â
Reheating methods
- Stovetop: Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 9gSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
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Curt says
Thanks for the mention and link Kristina! I just started noticing traffic coming in from here and checked a little closer.
I'm glad to know I can inspire someone of your talent. Great to have friends, ain't it!?
spabettie says
it is indeed, Curt! thanks for letting me know of the corn pasta!
Alicia @bakeaholic says
Yum! I top chili with avocado, but never thought about adding it to macaroni and cheese. What a delicious addition!!
spabettie says
I will definitely be adding avocado to pasta more often... actually, the list of what I WILL NOT add avocado to is getting smaller all the time 😉
Allie says
Oh yum, everything about this sounds delicious. Especially avocado. With cheese sauce. I'd eat a bowl of just that! I want to try corn pasta too, though. Although I was seriously disappointed by rice pasta the one time I gave it a go. Buckwheat (soba) noodles remain my favorite--even for non-Asian dishes. I get made fun of for putting tomato sauce on them--but YUM, I don't care.
Awesome house, too! I can't wait to see what you guys end up with--finding the right house is such a good feeling!
spabettie says
oh, yes, I know you definitely know about finding the right house! 😀 It's definitely an exciting time for us right now. we are looking at SIX today, including this one that I cannot wait to see!
ha, I could totally do avocado and cheese sauce. (I actually roasted some broccoli + cauliflower the next day and made more of this cheese sauce... Mmm!)
I love soba noodles... I need to use them more. and yeah, I'd do tomato sauce too!! 😀
Allie says
Oooh, I can't wait to hear how the viewings go! Good luck!
spabettie says
thank you!! out of the six, we REALLY like two... and one now has an accepted offer. *sigh* but the other we really like too... we shall see! 😀
Ashley F. says
That looks delicious - as usual! Was the corn pasta fairly inexpensive? I haven't seen it before but I would love to try it!
spabettie says
Ashley, I can't remember exactly, but I think it was around $3-4 a box? I had to look a bit to find "singles" to buy, amazon wanted to sell me a whole case! do you have a Trader Joes near you? I hear they have some? (I bought mine at vitacost I think...) it was pretty good, my favorite pasta is still the quinoa pasta. 🙂
Krista says
Well...you know me and cheese (even vegan cheese). I love love love that you added avocado!!! This looks like a bowlful of cheesy goodness!
spabettie says
Mmm, Krista you would LOVE this then! 😉 the avocado just made this complete!
Kristy Lynn @ Gastronomical Sovereignty says
haha - was just saying to john that when i see pasta i just neeeeeed it!
p.s. corn pasta???
Liz (Little Bitty Bakes) says
Yum, corn pasta sounds delicious. I will have to look for it!
I actually just wait WAY too much brown rice pasta tonight, so I have a ton left over. Mac n cheese time!
Liz (Little Bitty Bakes) says
*wait = made ... I should proofread my comments but you know, I've got a dish of candy calling my name. 😉
spabettie says
that darn candy can be SO distracting...
spabettie says
it's pretty good, my favorite is still my quinoa pasta... 😀
Tommy says
fantastic! making this week. xo
Eden says
is that the corn pasta from traders? I made minestrone soup with it!
I never liked mac n cheese because I'm one of the rare humans that doesn't like cheese. But I have a soft spot for avocados so this might work.
spabettie says
no, I found it online somewhere (after looking at EVERY store EXCEPT Traders gaah!) 😉 it was good, I still prefer my quinoa pasta. this WOULD make a great minestrone!
Jessica @ Stylish Stealthy and Healthy says
This is a fusion of so many things I love. Must make.
spabettie says
"fusion of so many things I love" <-- yes! me too. I hope you like it!