A one pot cheesy taco pasta recipe that is made with ground beef and pasta in a creamy sauce. An easy recipe that comes together in 30 minutes for dinner tonight.
This taco pasta is so good. It has a little spicy kick that isn't too spicy and I'm such a pasta & cheese lover that I could eat the whole pan.
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What I Love About This Taco Pasta Recipe
One pot meal - everything is made entirely in one pot. Fewer dishes mean more time to eat and more time with family.
Easy to make - Since everything is made together in one pot, it's minimal effort with maximum results.
30-minute meal - The only cooking time comes from browning the meat and waiting for the pasta to cook. You can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
Simple ingredients - All of the ingredients are easy to find.
Cheesy Taco Pasta Ingredients
- Ground Beef - I like to use 97% lean ground beef, but any ground beef will work. If you use a fattier version, you'll need to drain it once it's browned.
- Tomato Sauce - I use canned tomato sauce. If you use a 'no salt added' kind, you may need to add additional salt.
- Enchilada Sauce - My favorite brand to use is Gebhardt. They make a lot of different enchilada sauces, but Gebhardt red enchilada sauce is the one we like the best.
- Reduced-Sodium Beef Broth - I use reduced-sodium beef broth because the other ingredients already have salt in them. It's not required, but just keep the salt content in mind.
- Water - You'll need just a little water to help the pasta cook.
- Taco Seasoning - I use my homemade taco seasoning, but store-bought works great too.
- Onion Powder - My family doesn't like chunks of onion so we go with onion powder here.
- Garlic - fresh minced garlic is best here.
- Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese - Go with reduced-fat or full fat. I don't recommend using fat-free. It does not get as creamy.
- Pasta - any pasta shape is fine. I like elbows or shells in this.
- Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese - I prefer sharp cheddar cheese in this because it adds a lot of flavor. You can use any type of cheese that you like.
How to Make Taco Pasta
Detailed instructions and measurements to make one pot cheesy taco pasta are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with taco seasoning and onion powder. Once it has browned and is cooked through, add in the garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Mix to combine.
- Bring to a boil, add the pasta, mix, and turn down to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until pasta is cooked.
- Remove the lid and stir the mixture. Turn your burner down to low.
- Add the cream cheese in pieces. Mix them in until they melt. Once that has melted, add in the shredded cheese. Mix to combine and let it melt.
- Serve it up with your favorite toppings and a little extra cheese.
Tips and FAQs for One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet
- You can add in extras and your favorite taco items. I like adding black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, and corn.
- If you use pasta that's larger than elbow or shells, you may need a little more cooking time.
- If your stove cooks a little hot (even on low), you may need to add additional liquid so that the pasta can fully cook through.
Add the ground beef to the skillet and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Continue to cook until the beef is cooked through.
Yes, you can. If you want a little flavor added into your ground turkey, adding ground beef is a great way to do that.
Taco pasta uses two types of cheeses, both cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. The cream cheese will give it a smooth, creamy texture while the sharp cheddar cheese adds a salty bite.
Stirring the cream cheese into the hot pasta will help it melt smoothly. I recommend breaking it into pieces rather than adding a whole block at once. The shredded cheddar cheese will melt as you mix it in against the hot pasta.
Any small to medium sized pasta shape will work best. I like using either shells or elbows.
Toppings to Serve with Taco Cheesy Pasta
You can serve this with all of your favorite taco toppings. I like topping mine with cheese, sour cream, and avocado. Other great toppings include tortilla strips, cilantro, and lettuce.
Taco Pasta with Cream Cheese Substitutions
ground beef - you can substitute with ground turkey if you don't want red meat or would like to lower the calories, ground turkey works great.
sharp cheddar cheese - you can use mild cheddar, Monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese.
Do you want it extra spicy?
You can add extra chili powder, green chile, or even chopped jalapeno to this to amp up the spice.
How to Store and Freeze Cheesy Pasta
To store cheesy pasta, allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, place it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to convert to a Freezer Meal
To convert this into a freezer meal, add all the ingredients (except the pasta and cheese) to a gallon freezer Ziploc. When you're ready to cook, remove from the freezer, throw in the skillet and proceed as normal.
more one-pot recipes you might like
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 10 ounces enchilada sauce I prefer Gebhardt brand
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 3 cups uncooked pasta choose your favorite - shells, elbows, etc
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and season with taco seasoning and onion powder. Once it has browned and is cooked through, add in the garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Mix to combine.
- Bring to a boil, add the pasta, mix, and turn down to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until pasta is cooked.
- Remove the lid and stir the mixture. Turn your burner down to low (if it isn't already).
- Add the cream cheese in pieces. Mix them in until they melt. Once that has melted, add in the shredded cheese. Mix to combine and let it melt.
- Serve it up with your favorite toppings and a little extra cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.
Jenny
Huge win in my family!! I doubled the recipe since I have 5 kids and this made so much that I don't have to cook dinner tomorrow! Love that Kara makes it easy to double her recipes by just clicking the 2x option! I added a can of corn in mine thanks to her suggestions for add in options. Will definitely make this apart of my dinner rotation schedule!
kara
Thank you so much, Jenny!! I'm glad you found the suggestions helpful and that everyone liked it. That's the best compliment!!