This quick and easy One Pot Taco Pasta Recipe is a family favorite! Pasta shells, ground beef and plenty of cheesy goodness are all flavored with the perfect amount of taco seasoning. It’s one of my favorite 30 minute dinner recipes!
Enjoy more of the very best taco-inspired recipes like Taco Dip, Taco Pizza and Taco Mac!
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for a stick-to-your-ribs dinner that your kids will obsess over, you’ve found it! This Taco Pasta recipe checks all of our boxes.
It’s cheesy, beefy, filling, and so incredibly easy to make in just one pot.
You can kind of think of it as a dressed up, way more delicious Hamburger Helper meal!
When I make this one pan pasta, I seldom have leftovers. It’s super filling… but also so tasty that you can’t resist going back for more!
Why we love this One Pot Pasta Recipe:
- One Pan: Everything gets tossed together in just one pan. It’s easy to make and even easier to clean up – a win/win situation!
- 30 Minutes: No need to carve out an hour of your time to make dinner tonight. On those crazy busy weeknights, 30 minute meals really come in handy.
- Kid Friendly: It’s beefy, cheesy pasta – even the pickiest of eaters will gobble this stuff up. Plus, there are some sneaky red peppers in there that they’ll eat without even knowing!
- Inexpensive: If you take a quick look at the ingredients listed below, you may notice that nothing in this recipe will break the bank.
Taco Pasta Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: I use lean ground beef to avoid draining excess fat. If you use beef that renders fat, don’t forget to drain it after browning. This recipe is also great if you’ve got leftover Instant Pot Taco Meat!
- Broth: Low sodium broth is always the way to go! That way you can add more salt if needed and better control the amount of sodium in the dish.
- Pasta: Most short cuts of pasta will work here! Shells are my favorite but elbow noodles also work well.
- Cheddar: Freshly shredded cheddar will create the very best flavor and consistency.
- Cream: I recommend using heavy cream for the thickest, creamiest cheese sauce. You can use a lighter cream but your sauce may be a bit thinner.
- Tomato Sauce: Try not to swap this with any other tomato ingredient!
- Red Pepper: You can swap this with another color of pepper if you’d like, leave it out or add in some extra veg.
- Onion: Feel free to use either a white, red or yellow onion.
- Seasonings: You’ll need a bold medley of taco seasoning, cumin, oregano and salt. You may want to omit the salt if you find that the taco seasoning is already salty enough for you.
- Garlic: Add more if you’d like!
How to make Taco Pasta
Take a quick look at how easy this pasta recipe is to make in just one pot! For more detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook until slightly softened.
- Add the beef, taco seasoning, garlic, oregano, salt, and cumin. Cook and stir until beef is browned.
- Add broth, cream and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the pasta, cover, and lower heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese.
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegetables: Feel free to add extra veggies here! Stir in firmer veggies with the onion and peppers, and add quick cooking veggies near the end.
- Vegetarian: Substitute black beans in place of the beef and vegetable broth instead of beef broth for a vegetarian dinner.
- Spicy: Sprinkle in some cayenne powder or crushed red pepper flakes to add a little bit of heat!
- Ground Meat: You can use ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the ground beef if you’d like.
How to store Taco Pasta
Store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
To reheat, just add a splash of broth or water and pop individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir each time it stops.
Can I freeze Taco Pasta?
Sure thing! Let the cheesy Taco Pasta fully cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! Before you reheat it, let everything defrost in the fridge for a few hours.
Keep in mind that pasta will be notably softer after being frozen, thawed and reheated.
Serving suggestions:
There are so many delicious side dishes to plate with Taco Pasta – or you could just enjoy it all by itself!
If you want to balance this hearty dinner with something on the lighter side, consider easy recipes like Air Fryer Broccoli, Corn on the Cob or Roasted Vegetables.
More Filling Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
- Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Rigatoni Pasta Bake
- One Pan Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
- Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach and Tomatoes
One Pot Taco Pasta Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 lb lean ground beef (cooked or raw)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2¼ cups low sodium beef broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups uncooked pasta (I used lumaconi or shellbows, about 240 grams)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
- Add the onion and peppers and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the beef, taco seasoning, garlic, oregano, salt, and cumin. Cook and stir until beef is browned.
- Add the broth, cream and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente (about 10 minutes depending on the type).
- Stir in the cheese. Taste and serve.
Notes
- Vegetables: feel free to add extra veggies here! Stir in firmer veggies with the onion and peppers, and add quick cooking veggies near the end.
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef so rarely have to drain the fat. If you find there is a lot of fat after browning, simply drain it or use a paper towel to soak it up before continuing. You can also swap this with other varieties of ground meat or for a can of rinsed black beans.
- Broth: I use low sodium broth and then add salt as needed. If you’re starting with salted broth, you may want to reduce the added salt and add more before serving.
- Pasta: most short cuts of pasta will work here! I like to use lumaconi or shellbows, elbow macaroni or shells. Keep in mind that the cook time may vary slightly depending on the type you choose.
Nutrition Information
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Elizabeth Allen says
It was very flavorful and delicious. I used ziti, and ended up having to use another .5-1 cup of broth and cook about 5 extra minutes, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Elizabeth!
Jaime McCracken says
Great recipe!! I fixed this tonight and it was a hit!! I had to use more beef broth than it calls for, but I think that it’s because I used small shells? It tasted great and family wants it in the regular rotation!! Thank you for another great meal!!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Jaime! I’m so glad you liked it! You’re correct, smaller shells will pack more into a cup, so they may require a little more liquid.