This Creamy Taco Pasta Recipe is a 30 minute meal that you can make in one pot! Pasta shells are smothered in cheesy taco sauce with ground beef and tomatoes.
Be sure to try my Taco Lasagna and Taco Stuffed Shells recipes next!
Taco Pasta
This is one incredibly quick and easy one pot pasta recipe that I love making for my family! I even make it for guests because it’s always such a hit. (And a great way to make use of ground beef.)
It’s like a taco version of hamburger helper, but so much better than what you’d get from a box. And literally just as fast.
I kid you not when I say that this is truly a 30 minute meal, and the fact that you only need ONE POT is just a major bonus.
How to Make it
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain. Add butter and garlic, cook for one minute.
Add all remaining ingredients except Cheese and Pasta. Bring to a gentle boil.
Add the pasta shells and submerge in the liquid.
Cover & Cook until al dente, as indicated on package instructions.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese and stir until combined.
Yup. That’s it. Taco Pasta is Served.
Pro Tips
- This recipe makes a lot of sauce, (which I love), feel free to use a little more than 1/2 lb. of pasta.
- All chicken broth or all beef broth can be used instead of a combination if preferred.
- The cheese options are very flexible. Monterey Jack and Mozzarella are great choices. Shred them from a block at home for the creamiest consistency.
- Other types of pasta may also be used, refer to the box for cooking times. Examples include rotini, penne, and bow tie pasta.
- Diced or shredded chicken can also be used instead of ground beef. Mix it in at the end of cooking, boiling it with the pasta can make it tough.
- Optional ingredient additions: Corn, bell peppers, black beans, jalapenos.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 160!
Storage
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4-Quart Dutch Oven– this is the perfect size for this soup. This one is high quality and you’ll have it forever. (I use one almost every time I cook!)
- Box Cheese Grater– Shredding from a block tastes and melts much better than packaged cheese.
- Pasta Shells– I used Colavita brand for this recipe, (I like the shape)!
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
Try These Next
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Cajun Chicken
- Shrimp Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Taco Spaghetti
- Chicken Spaghetti
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Tried This Recipe?
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![A pot full of Taco Pasta with pasta shells in a creamy taco sauce.](jpg/taco-pasta-recipe-f2-200x200.jpg)
Taco Pasta - (One Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes (equal to 1/3 cup)* can sub with ¾ cup shredded cheese
- 1 lb. Ground Beef, 85% lean
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 cup Whole milk, at room temp
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- ½ lb. Medium pasta shells, see notes
Instructions
- Shred the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese from a block and set aside. It should be near room temperature when added to the pasta sauce.
- Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium-high heat in a high-walled pot or dutch oven. Drain grease.
- Melt the butter in the same pot and add and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add all remaining ingredients except the cheese and pasta. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Add the pasta and submerge it in the liquid. Cover and cook according to package instructions. Slide a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pot halfway through to lift any ingredients that may be settling to the bottom.
- Remove cover and ensure the pasta is sufficiently cooked. Taste-test a noodle for doneness before proceeding If needed, cover and cook longer, until your desired doneness is obtained.
- Turn heat to low. Gradually stir in cheese until melted.
- There will be plenty of sauce but it will thicken upon standing and the pasta will continue to absorb it.
- Serve once desired consistency is obtained.
Notes
- This recipe makes a lot of sauce, (which I love), feel free to use a little more than 1/2 lb. of pasta.
- All chicken broth or all beef broth can be used instead of a combination if preferred.
- The cheese options are very flexible. Shred them from a block for the creamiest consistency. Bagged shredded cheese doesn't melt as well.
- Other types of pasta may also be used, refer to the box for cooking times. Examples include rotini, penne, and bow tie pasta.
- Diced or shredded chicken can also be used instead of ground beef. Mix it in at the end of cooking, boiling it with the pasta can make it tough.
- Optional ingredient additions: Corn, bell peppers, black beans, jalapenos.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 160!
The nutritional facts are an estimate and are per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
Was good. Everyone liked it
I’m so happy to hear that Jason, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😃
Made this with Banza pasta shells, ground chicken and vegetable broth as substitutes. Delicious.
Sounds delicious, nice work Stefanie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💗
This is a good recipe, but there is no salt and pepper! You will need to add!
Hi Donna! I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! The taco seasoning actually contains quite a bit of salt as well as the 3-cheese combo, so I wouldn’t dare add more 😉 The seasoning has chili pepper as well, but adding more salt/pepper to taste is always an option!
Made this tonight for dinner with hot rotel and a pretty spicy taco seasoning, I added a drained can of corn and a drained can of black beans with all of the liquids. Came out absolutely delicious.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it Andy, I love that you added corn and black beans! Delish!! Thank you so much for the review! -Stephanie
Made this for dinner. Came out great. I used 1lb of pasta added a little extra of the recipe. When ready to serve I garnished with green onion and served with cornbread. Huge hit. Thanks for posting!!
I’m sooo happy that you loved the recipe Angela! Green onions and cornbread are an absolutely fantastic way to serve it! Thank you so much for the review, I really appreciate it!! -Stephanie
I cooked this for dinner tonight and it was delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that Kimberly, thanks so much for the great review!
Good, but tastes like chili Mac without the beans….
Hi Kristin, I actually have a Chili Mac recipe. It has beans and is truly Chili and Mac and Cheese combined into one dish. The flavors in this Taco Pasta solely revolve around the flavors of Tacos. There isn’t any real mac and cheese being created here, there’s no beans, and there’s taco seasoning (not chili seasoning).
This was so good! My whole family loved it. Needed a little more broth to cook the noodles, other than that I followed the recipe. 😉 Thank you!
You’re very welcome Rebecca! I’m so happy it was a hit with the family. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😃
Just enjoyed this too much! Very tasty and filling. Added a 4oz can of diced green chilies. Topped it with some Cotija cheese crumbles and sour cream. Used a spoon to get every bit.
Next time I think I’ll add some color with a little diced green and red bell peppers, corn and black beans.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Bob! Peppers, corn, and black beans are great additions! Thanks so much for the great comments!