Tex Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Tammilee · This post may contain affiliate links

A delicious fun twist on Velveeta Shells and Cheese! This Tex Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe combines classic Velveeta Shells and Cheese with hamburger and flavored tomatoes.

Tex Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe (1)

Tex-Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe

Contents show

I can't believe we first shared this recipe almost seven years ago! It is still one of my husband's favorite meals. I love that it is so dang easy to whip up!

I am pretty sure he would eat this for dinner any chance he can. I love making Velveeta Shells and Cheese since I can set aside a plain bowl for me and then make John a fun bowl with his favorite toppings. Can you tell we have very different tastes in food!

Ingredients

Three ingredients that is all you need to whip up this recipe!

I use mild or spicy Ro-Tel tomatoes depending on what mood we are in. It is up to you how spicy you make this dish.

You can also add in bacon if you want to change up the flavor a bit more.

I added a handful of Fritos Chips to the plate to enhance the Tex-Mex flavors. They were a fun addition to dinner. I will suggest having a couple of extra napkins if you try to eat theTex-Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese with the Fritos. I made quite a mess as I tried to eat but it was a lot of fun!

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Crockpot Tex-Mex Chicken

Crockpot Salisbury Steak

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Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Crockpot Beef Goulash

Do you love recipes? Check out ourcopycat recipes,dessert recipes, and ourCrockPot Recipes.

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Tex Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe (4)

Tex-Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe

A great easy dinner recipe you will love this Tex-Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Servings: 8

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook Velveeta Shells and Cheese according to the box directions

  • Brown the hamburger

  • Drain the liquid out of the cans of Ro-Tel

  • Once the hamburger is browned add in the 2 cans of Ro-Tel and stir until combined

  • Combine Velveeta Shells and Cheese and the Hamburger/Ro-Tel mix in a big bowl

Kitchen Tools

  • Saucepan

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tex-Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 176Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 298mg13%

Potassium 265mg8%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 120IU2%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 131mg13%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Recipe originally shared on June 17, 2013. Updated on May 4, 2020

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About Tammilee

Lifestyle blogger who travels the world and drinks too much Chai tea. Travel blogger, award winning photographer, sunset hunter, Birkenstock girl, bird nerd
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nicole

    I made this as listed but added a little minced garlic as I browned the meat. I didn't find it spicy at all, neither did my husband who is less adventurous than I am. I'll try the suggestion of seasoning the beef with taco packet for more flavor.

    Reply

  2. Tara Willo

    Wow. This is a REALLY easy dinner! I'm still kind of new in the kitchen (I still stand about a yard away from any pan with popping grease in it) but I LOVE cooking! And I definitely wanna make this.

    Reply

  3. kara cargill

    I just made this tonight. Super easy. However super spicy If you like spicy stuff then you will like this. My kiddos (11 and almost 4) did not like it because of the spice. My husband said it has a kick to it but it is good. If I make it again I may do one can of Rotel and one can diced tomatoes.

    Reply

  4. Rebecca

    I loved this! Super simple recipe for a tasty meal. I did use two cans of mild Rotel and it was perfect!

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      So glad you loved the recipe Rebecca! I love how easy it is to make.

      Reply

  5. Brytney

    My fiancé and I have very different tastes too. Only with us, I like the super spicy stuff and he's more of the keep it plain type. I am definitely going to make this soon though and see if he'll eat it. Maybe I'll split it in half and add the spicy rotel to mine and mild for him. I like how it'll be easy to customize. I also wonder how a can of bean-less chili will taste instead of the ground beef. Hmmmmm. I'll try both and let you know!

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  6. Nikki Walters

    My husband and I love this dish! This is what he requested for me to make for his birthday dinner back in February because he loves it so much!! I'm making it again tonight for him! 🙂

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      So glad you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply

  7. Rose

    Excellent and easy. I cut everything in half as there are only two of us. I used the mild rotel.

    Reply

  8. Heather

    This was delicious!!! However, I think it only needs one can of rotel. We used 1.5 and it was super spicy. I couldn't imagine actually putting two cans in.

    Reply

    • Danielle

      Next time use the Mild Rotel and it won't be spicy at all. That's what I use so my kids will eat it.

      Reply

  9. Hannah Camille

    I love this recipe! I'm making it for my boyfriend this weekend and he's super pumped! What's the best side dish with this? I definitely want some kind of green and I'm also making cornbread. Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Tex Mex Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much water do you put in Velveeta shells and cheese? ›

Kraft Velveeta Shells and Cheese
  1. Boil 6 cups water.
  2. Stir in Shell macaroni.
  3. Boil 10 to 12 minutes or to desired tenderness, stirring occasionally.
  4. DRAIN: Do not rinse. Return to pan.
  5. Cut off top edge of Velveeta Cheese Sauce Pouch.
  6. Squeeze Cheese Sauce over hot macaroni.
  7. Stir until well blended.

What are the ingredients in Velveeta shells and cheese? ›

ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WHEAT FLOUR, GLYCEROL MONOSTEARATE, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE [IRON], THIAMIN MONONITRITE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), CHEESE SAUCE (WHEY, CANOLA OIL, CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILK, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SODIUM ...

Does Velveeta shells and cheese require milk? ›

Do I Add Milk to Velveeta Shells & Cheese? No, you do not need to add milk. All the ingredients needed to make Velveeta Shells & Cheese, Original are included in the box. The box contains the uncooked pasted and a second small package inside the box contains the cheese mixture that is added after the pasta is cooked.

Can you make Velveeta shells and cheese with boiling water? ›

A: You can just pour boiling water over the noodles, stir, and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Add the cheese sauce after it sits. Turns out better than the microwave because you don't have to clean all the spilled water out of the microwave. Helpful?

Can you use milk instead of water in Velveeta mac and cheese? ›

Crockpot Velveeta mac and cheese

Add 2 cups (8 ounces) uncooked macaroni, 2 cups milk, 1/2 lb cubed Velveeta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard powder to the Crock Pot and stir well.

Why did Velveeta stop using real cheese? ›

Since 2002, Velveeta has been labeled as a "pasteurized prepared cheese product." What does that even mean? Because of the ingredients and the way it is prepared, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not consider it real cheese.

Is a block of Velveeta real cheese? ›

Originally Velveeta was made from real cheese. Today, it's mainly whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, milk, fat, and preservatives. By the Food and Drug Administration's standards, that's not real cheese—which is why the FDA forced Kraft to change its label from "cheese spread" to "cheese product."

What do I do if I don't have milk for my mac and cheese? ›

Water actually works perfectly well as a milk substitute in mac and cheese. It adds all the liquid you need, though it doesn't have the creaminess or flavor that other substitutes add. However, if you add a little pasta water, instead of plain tap water, to your cheese sauce, you might get better results.

What happens if you don't put milk in mac and cheese? ›

If you're wondering about making boxed mac and cheese without milk, such as Kraft mac and cheese, you can do that, too! Simply replace the milk with chicken broth or water, melt in a bit of cream cheese, and you'll still end up with a tasty, cheesy meal.

How do you keep Velveeta cheese creamy? ›

Stir the cheese and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds at a time until smooth and creamy. How do you keep Velveeta queso creamy? To help slow down the pace at which the Velveeta cheese hardens, add evaporated milk to aid in this, or use a slow cooker that will keep it warm or on low while serving.

How to cook velveeta shells and cheese? ›

Simply boil the shell pasta on your stovetop according to the instructions, drain, combine with the included packet of melty cheese sauce and enjoy, unapologetically. One box makes approximately 3 servings.

How much water do I put in a box of Kraft mac and cheese? ›

POUR macaroni into 1 ½ or 2 quart microwaveable bowl. Add 1 ¾ cups hot water. MICROWAVE, uncovered, on HIGH 11 to 13 minutes or until water is absorbed, stirring every 5 minutes.

Can you use water to melt Velveeta cheese? ›

First, cut your Velveeta into ½ inch cubes. Next, you're going to pour some water into the bottom half of the double boiler, bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat when the water reached a rolling boil. Add a small amount of butter to the upper half of your double boiler, allowing the butter to melt.

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