Taco Pasta

Home » 30 Minute Meals » Taco Pasta – One Pot!

by Stephanie on June 17, 2021 (Updated August 8, 2024)471*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »

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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!

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 ingredientsexceptCheese 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

Refrigeratein an airtight container for up to 3 days or freezein 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

: Cajun Chicken

: Tuscan Chicken Pasta

: Chicken Spaghetti

: Chicken Taco Soup

: Chicken Enchiladas

: Taco Spaghetti

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Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Taco Pasta - (One Pot!)

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

4.95 from 168 ratings

Servings: 6 people

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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.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

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

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. 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 100mg, Sodium: 1352mg, Potassium: 722mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1226IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 472mg, Iron: 4mg

Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Author: Stephanie

30 Minute Meals Beef Recipes Dinner Freezer Food Mexican One Pot Pasta Popular

posted by Stephanie on June 17, 2021 — 471 Comments »

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471 comments on “Taco Pasta – One Pot!”

Brandi Phillips — September 4, 2024 @ 7:53 pm Reply
See Also
Carne Asada Street Tacos

I did everything but the velvetta bc I didn’t have it. The rotel gives it a bit of spice. It’s definitely yummy and has enough sauce for 1/2 lb of pasta and isn’t dry. Definitely the right ratios so double if you want to use the whole box of pasta
- Stephanie — September 5, 2024 @ 7:49 am Reply
  
  I’m so happy you enjoyed it Brandi!!! One of my favorite weeknight dinners. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment😃
Jamie — August 18, 2024 @ 3:15 pm Reply

Made this today and YUM! I made a couple of adjustments to suit my family, we like it spicy. We changed out the tomato paste for salsa, added in diced scotch bonnet peppers and jalapenos, as well as a little bit of onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and white pepper.
I simmered the liquids together for about 30 minutes to develop the flavors before adding in the pasta. I will absolutely be making this again. Was not disappointed.
- Stephanie — August 18, 2024 @ 4:13 pm Reply
  
  I’m so happy that you loved it Jamie, sounds like you definitely know what you’re doing in the kitchen- love the idea of using salsa in this! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I appreciate it so much! -Stephanie 🙂
  - Jamie — August 18, 2024 @ 7:39 pm
    
    I appreciate you posting the recipe!! I was trying to figure out what to do with my leftover taco meat.
    I’ve been cooking my whole life. It’s my favorite thing to do.
  - Stephanie — August 18, 2024 @ 7:49 pm
    
    Isn’t cooking the best!? I love it so much. This is the perfect use for leftover taco meat. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment Jamie!💖
Joy Olsen — August 7, 2024 @ 8:10 pm Reply

Family Favorite. We love this dinner!
- Stephanie — August 7, 2024 @ 8:13 pm Reply
  
  Wahooo! It’s one of my favorite family dinners too. Thanks so much for the great review Joy!🩷
Adriana — August 5, 2024 @ 5:00 pm Reply

Has anyone pre-prepped this and reheated the following day? I work late into the evening so I’d like to have it ready for my husband to pop into the oven (or elsewhere) for dinner.
- Stephanie — August 5, 2024 @ 5:24 pm Reply
  
  Hi Adriana! This pasta definitely reheats really nicely! You could consider adding slightly less pasta as it will continue to absorb the sauce during storage and when reheated. It makes a lot of sauce as-is, but you could consider it! You may want to also undercook the pasta a smidge.
Peanut — August 5, 2024 @ 3:56 pm Reply

My Italian hubby and I enjoyed 3 meals and a lunch from this pot of goodness.He said,don’t forget how to make this.The cup of milk is what made it just creamy enough.I didn’t use Velveeta just more cheddar.This was easy,quick and delicious.Any company we would have would love this.Thanks for the recipe.
- Stephanie — August 5, 2024 @ 8:04 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for the great comments! I agree, this one is for everyone! Thanks again!💖
Gail KAUFMAN — August 4, 2024 @ 10:15 pm Reply

I’ll try with Vegetarian meat/
- Stephanie — August 5, 2024 @ 7:52 am Reply
  
  Great idea, enjoy!❤️
Emily Jones — August 2, 2024 @ 8:47 am Reply

How do you prepare from frozen?
- Stephanie — August 2, 2024 @ 9:50 am Reply
  
  Hi Emily, if you have frozen leftovers I would let them thaw overnight (or use the defrost function on the microwave), from there you can also reheat it on a makeshift double boiler on the stovetop or you can reheat it in the oven in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350 for 20 minutes or so, (depending on how much you’re reheating). Use a dish relatively the same size as the portion you’re reheating to keep things moist! Finally, you can reheat it fully in the microwave.
Angie W — August 1, 2024 @ 11:18 am Reply

How much is a serving?
- Stephanie — August 1, 2024 @ 11:29 am Reply
  
  1/6 of the batch 🙂
Tia — June 24, 2024 @ 10:25 pm Reply

Okay, I had to come back and take the time to leave a review when EVERYONE in my family liked this! My husband, daughter and all 5 boys. Can I say, “IT’S A WIN PEOPLE!!!” 🙂 Used tomato sauce instead of the paste, shredded mexican blend cheese I had on hand, just Wal-Mart brand of Italian styled diced tomatoes, rotini noodles and our elk burger. YUM!
- Stephanie — June 25, 2024 @ 10:01 am Reply
  
  Wahooo! I’m so happy your family l8iked it so much Tia! My daughter and husband ask for this one a lot. Thanks for the great review!💕
- Michele — August 9, 2024 @ 7:31 pm Reply
  
  How would I make this if I wanted to cook the pasta separately and add it once it’s cooked?
  - Stephanie — August 9, 2024 @ 7:43 pm
    
    Hi Michele! I can offer you my Taco Spaghetti! But I have designed and tested this as a one pot recipe.

Taco Pasta - One Pot! (2024)