Cheesy Taco Pasta is the perfect comfort food with a little Mexican flair. It has hearty ground beef, cheesy pasta, and is seasoned with taco seasoning. Plus, it’s ready in 30 minutes and made in just one-pot!
Ellen’s Notes
This cheesy taco pasta recipe is a go-to dinner for me, especially when I’m watching my grandkids! Cheesy, beefy pasta loaded with savory taco flavor? Yes, please!
I swear, this recipe has saved me on more than one “what on earth am I making for dinner” night. It’s the kind of dish you can pull together without a grocery store run – since most of the ingredients are pantry staples.
It’s a real stick-to-your-ribs recipe that’s ideal for colder months when you need something comforting. The best part? It comes together quickly and you only have to dirty up a single pot!
Looking for more easy taco-inspired recipes? Check out my taco pasta casserole, this easy taco casserole with Fritos, or my best taco meat recipe!
Key Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground Beef: I like to use a leaner ground beef, but if yours is full fat – just drain off any excess grease after browning it. You can also use ground turkey, or any ground meat of your preference.
- Pasta Shells: You could use another small pasta shape like Rotini or Fusilli.
- Onion: I like to use white or yellow onion for this recipe.
- Taco Seasoning: I highly recommend making your own taco seasoning for maximum flavor, but you can always use store bought too!
- Diced Tomatoes: I used mild Rotel Diced Tomatoes so that it’s kid friendly. If you want it to be spicy you can use HOT Rotel tomatoes. If you aren’t a Rotel fan, you could also use fire roasted diced tomatoes instead, but you will loose some of the “taco” flavor without the chiles.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Mexican-blend cheese would also be delicious! You just want to use a good melty cheese that goes well with the Tex-mex flavors in this taco pasta.
Tips For Making This Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe
You basically just have to toss everything into a pot and call it a day, but here are a few helpful tips to ensure it turns out perfect. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full instructions!
Use a large skillet and get it nice and hot before adding the meat. If your pan is too small, the beef will release juices and end up boiling instead of browning. A hot pan helps the meat sear instead of steam, which means more browned bits (a.k.a. flavor gold) at the bottom.
Don’t add the seasonings too early. You want to add in your seasonings after you drain any excess grease, that way they don’t wash away. Leaving a little grease (about 1 tablespoon) is good to add flavor and moisture, but anymore than that can leave you with greasy taco pasta.
Keep an eye on it while it simmers. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking and check the pasta for doneness a minute or two early. The pasta will continue to cook a little more from the residual heat, even after the burner is off, so aim for al dente.
Too thick or too thin… If the liquid seems too low before the pasta is done, add in a bit more broth or water. If it’s too soupy, let it simmer uncovered for the last few minutes to thicken it more. Keeping in mind the pasta will absorb a little more liquid as it cools!
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Topping Ideas
- Sour Cream: Mexican crema or even plain Greek yogurt will also work.
- Green Onions: Or you can use fresh sliced chives for a milder flavor.
- Shredded Cheese: You can use more cheddar, pepper jack, or Mexican blend.
- Cilantro: If cilantro isn’t your thing, stick with green onions or chives. You can also try parsley.
- Avocado: Sliced or mashed into guacamole is always a good idea.
- Pico de Gallo: Sprinkled right on top.
- Corn Chips: You can also add some crunch with a few crushed up tortilla chips or corn chips (like Fritos).
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add black beans, pinto beans, or corn! If using canned beans or corn, make sure to rinse and drain them well before adding. You could also stir in spinach at the end for some added greens, it will wilt quickly. If you want to add a diced bell pepper or jalapeño, sauté it with the ground beef and onions.
Use hot taco seasoning, hot or extra-hot version of Rotel, or add diced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or chipotle powder for an extra kick.
Sadly this dish is best served fresh. The pasta will absorb the sauce once stored and reheated, leaving you with a different texture than when it was first made.
Yes! Use your favorite dairy-free cheese or skip the cheese entirely.
Taco Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef, or ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz pasta shells
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
Optional Toppings
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Cilantro
- Avocado
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Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
- Add the ground meat, breaking apart the meat as it cooks, for 10 minutes. If you have a lot of excess grease, drain the grease (leaving about 1 tablespoons worth) before continuing.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, Rotel and chicken broth, stirring until combined. Add the pasta shells and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat to HIGH and bring everything to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium-low, loosely cover the pot, and simmer until the pasta is cooked through (about 12-15 minutes). Stir frequently to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If needed, add a little extra broth till pasta is cooked.
- Once the pasta is cooked, immediately remove from the heat. Stir in shredded cheese and serve immediately!
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Notes
Nutrition
More Mexican-Inspired Dinner Recipes
- Sheet pan steak fajitas and sheet pan shrimp fajitas are both quick, easy, and fail-proof dinner recipes.
- Mexican shredded beef tacos are so crispy and juicy at the same time!
- Easy beef enchiladas are made with just 4 ingredients. Salsa verde chicken enchiladas are also made with just 4 ingredients as well!
- Cheesy, beefy loaded burrito casserole is perfect for potlucks.
- Creamy chicken taco soup is equal parts comforting and bold!
This dish was good. It was a nice dish to try for something different. I like the taste of cilantro so that made for a nice garnish. Added a little extra cheese and sour cream as a garnish as well. Would I cook this again? Most likely, no.
Good easy recipe. Will make again.
This turned out great!! I added some black beans with corn. Used gluten free pasta shells which worked out great!! Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! My husband doesn’t love pasta but thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Will be making again!
Do you drain the meat?
Hi Frank! If you have a lot of grease, yes we’d recommend draining it off. We used lean ground beef and didn’t need to drain it. It really is up to your personal preference though!
Made this for dinner the whole family loved it! So good! I used macaroni noodles because it’s what I had on hand.
Pasta does not cook in 12-15 minutes on medium low. Currently working on 20 minutes in medium-high. If I make it again, I’ll cook the pasta separately and then mix…will go a lot faster.
Hi Jennifer! Did you bring it to a boil to start when you added the pasta? If you brought it to a boil and then lowered the heat, the noodles (if using the small or medium sized pasta shells) should definitely cook in 15 minutes or less. They cook at a rolling boil in 8 minutes. I’m sorry you had issues, but glad you still enjoyed it!