Craving the flavors of taco night but want to change things up a bit? This easy, one-pot cheesy taco pasta is packed with all your favorite ingredients and is ready in no time!
Perfect for busy weeknights, this flavorful dish will become a family favorite.
ONE POT TACO PASTA
Don’t you just love a good one pot dinner recipe? Who wants to spend extra time washing dishes?
All you need is one large skillet with a lid. I use this 5 quart non stick skillet and it works great.
Five minutes of prep, one pan, and dinner is ready in about 25 minutes!
If you’ve got picky eaters at your house, you are in luck. This dish combines two favorites – tacos and pasta, into one tasty dish. Everyone at the table will be happy, and that is always a win!
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY BEEF TACO PASTA
- PREP – Dice onion, grate the cheese.
- MEAT – In a large, deep skillet cook the ground beef and onion over medium high heat until the meat is browned. Drain off any fat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute.
- COMBINE – Add the bouillon, water, rotel, worcestershire sauce, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and dry pasta. Stir to combine.
- COOK – Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low or medium low. Cover the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
- TOPPING – Stir in about 1/2 cup of the cheese, then sprinkle the rest of cheese over the top. Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat, until the cheese melts.
- SERVE – Serve hot with your favorite garnishes. We like tomatoes, avocados, green onions, and sour cream.
PRO TIPS:
- Different brands and types of pasta vary, so if the dish starts to dry out before the pasta is tender, simply add more water or broth.
- You can use any type of pasta, but keep in mind that larger pasta will take longer to cook.
- If you don’t have beef broth or bouillon on hand, you can substitute chicken broth in a pinch.
STORING LEFTOVERS
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce, you you may need to add a bit of water when you reheat.
You can freeze the dish, but the pasta does get soft as it defrosts. It will last for about 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
Typically it will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It’s best to store it in an airtight container.
This recipe has 521 calories. To lower the calorie count, you can simply use less cheese, or substitute ground chicken for the hamburger.
VARIATIONS:
- If you don’t have small shells on hand, you can use any other dry pasta of your choosing.
- Two cups of cheese makes for a very cheesy pasta, which my family loves. You can use less cheese if you prefer.
- I used shredded cheddar cheese, but Mexican blend, colby jack, mozzarella, or even pepper jack cheese would be tasty.
- This dish is also tasty with a cup or two of corn or black beans added with the pasta.
- For a nice crunch, crumble corn chips or Fritos on top before serving.
- I love using homemade taco seasoning, but you can substitute a packet from the store.
- Like things spicy? Toss in some diced jalapeno peppers or red pepper flakes.
Serve with a side salad, or alongside shredded lettuce for a complete meal.
MORE TASTY PASTA RECIPES:
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Ground Beef Lo Mein
- Easy Chili Mac
- Hamburger Beef Stroganoff
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Hamburger Mac and Cheese
TACO PASTA RECIPE
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ¼ cups dry pasta small shells (about 8 1/2 ounces)
- 1 Tbsp beef bouillon or soup base
- 2 cups water
- 1 10 oz can Rotel
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbsp taco seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese divided (about 5 ounces)
Instructions
- Cook hamburger and onion in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat until the meat is browned. Drain off any fat.
- Add garlic and saute for another minute, just until fragrant.
- Add the pasta shells (dry), bouillon, water, rotel, worcestershire sauce, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium or medium low. Cover the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add about 1/2 cup of the cheese, stir until melted.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Turn to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with desired toppings. We love tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions, olives, avocados, and sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition
This homemade pasta dish is so simple, ready in 25 minutes, and tastes so much better than boxed taco hamburger helper! Give it a try. If you love it, I’d appreciate a 5 star rating or comment. 🙂
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SO easy to make. The best part is my whole family loved it!
So glad it was a hit at your house Carol!