Taco Pasta

    Raise your hand if you grew up on Hamburger Helper. 🖐 Yeah, me too. :) This Beef Taco Pasta is like a homemade version of your favorite childhood dinner in a box with a southwest spin. It has ground beef, a cheesy tomato sauce, green chiles, pasta, a healthy dose of taco seasoning, and tons of delicious comfort all in one bowl. I only use half a pound of ground beef, which keeps it budget-friendly while still giving you plenty of meaty taco flavor. Plus, it all cooks in one pot, which makes dinner time so fast and easy. #WIN

    beef taco pasta in a bowl from above

    “Tastes great and is very doable on a weeknight. Doubles easily and freezes well. I added black beans for some fiber. It would be a great vegetarian option if you replace the meat with black or pinto beans. Honestly you could do a lot to customize this with whatever you have on hand. This will become a regular in my rotation!”

    Kate

    Taco Night Comfort in a Pasta Bowl

    When my brain is fried, and I can’t think of a dinner plan, one-pot meals like this taco pasta ALWAYS save the day. I stir the dry pasta shells right into the skillet with the browned beef, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and beef broth, pop a lid on, and let it simmer. As it cooks, the pasta soaks up the taco-seasoned broth and turns everything into a thick, saucy base (no draining, no separate pot, no fuss). Then I finish it off by stirring in cheddar right at the end so it melts down into the sauce and coats every bite. Dinner = handled. 🤤

    Recipe Success Tips

    1. Keep the pot covered. The steam is what helps the pasta cook evenly, so I try not to lift the lid too often. Just give it a quick stir every few minutes to keep anything from sticking, then put the lid back on so it can keep doing its thing.
    2. Use any small or short pasta. I used small pasta shells this time around because that’s what I had on hand, but I originally made this recipe with egg noodles. You can use other short pasta shapes as well, keeping in mind that you may need to simmer slightly longer or for less time depending on the type of pasta used. Rotini and penne are also good options.
    3. Use a different meat. This recipe is super flexible, so if you want to use a different type of ground meat, like ground turkey or ground chicken, that would work just as well.
    4. Make it vegetarian or vegan. Likewise, you could use a vegetarian ground beef alternative, or just skip the ground beef altogether and replace it with a can of black beans. Also, use vegetable broth and your favorite vegan cheese alternative, if needed.
    5. Adjust the spice level to your taste. The heat in this dish mostly comes from the taco seasoning you choose. Use a mild blend for just a little kick, or go for a hot seasoning (or add a pinch of cayenne) if you want more heat. For extra spice, I’d sauté a diced jalapeño with the onions.
    6. Add salt as needed. I didn’t need to add any salt as my broth and taco seasoning already contained plenty. Taste your taco pasta after adding the cheese and adjust the seasoning as needed.
    Close up of beef taco pasta in the skillet
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    One Pot Beef Taco Pasta

    This Beef Taco Pasta is like a homemade version of hamburger helper with a southwest flavor spin. Hearty, delicious, and comforting!
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Southwest
    Total Cost $8.64 recipe / $1.44 serving
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 6 servings (1.3 cups each)
    Calories 376kcal
    Author Beth Moncel

    Equipment

    • Deep Skillet or Wide Bottomed Pot

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.22
    • 1 yellow onion diced, $0.58
    • 2 garlic cloves minced, $0.16
    • ½ lb. ground beef $3.61
    • 1 packet taco seasoning about 1 oz., $0.47*
    • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices, $0.96
    • 4 oz. can diced green chiles with juices, $0.88
    • ½ lb. small pasta shells uncooked, $0.37
    • 2 cups beef broth $0.26**
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, $0.93
    • 2 green onions sliced, $0.20

    Instructions

    • Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a deep skillet or wide-bottomed pot. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.
    • Add the ground beef and taco seasoning and continue to cook and stir until the ground beef is cooked through.
    • Add the diced tomatoes (with juices) and diced green chiles (with juices) to the beef and stir to combine.
    • Finally, add the pasta and beef broth and stir to combine once again. It's okay if the pasta is not fully submerged under the broth.
    • Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, give the pasta a stir, place the lid back on top, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
    • Let the pasta continue to simmer, stirring every few minutes and always replacing the lid, for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. There should be some thick saucy liquid left in the pot once the pasta is cooked.
    • Add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until it has melted into the sauce. Top with sliced green onions and serve!

    See how we calculate recipe costs here.

    Notes

    *You can use one store-bought taco seasoning packet (about 1 oz.) or this homemade taco seasoning recipe. 
    **I like to use Better than Bouillon to make my broths. It’s low cost and one jar lasts for ages!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.3cups | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 1097mg | Fiber: 4g

    How to Make Beef Taco Pasta Step-by-Step Photos

    Diced onion and minced garlic in a skillet

    Sauté the onion and garlic: Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add them to a deep skillet or wide-bottomed pot with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.

    ground beef and taco seasoning added to the skillet

    Brown the beef: Next, add ½ lb. ground beef and one packet of taco seasoning (or homemade taco seasoning). Continue to cook over medium until the ground beef is cooked through.

    Diced tomatoes and green chiles added to the skillet

    Add the canned ingredients: Add one 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices) and one 4 oz. can diced green chiles (with juices). 

    pasta and beef broth being added to the skillet

    Pour in pasta and broth: Add ½ lb. pasta shells (uncooked) and 2 cups beef broth. Stir everything to combine. It’s okay if the pasta is not fully submerged in the broth.

    Lid being placed on the skillet in preparation for simmering

    Cook: Place a lid on the skillet or pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a full boil, give the pasta a stir (put the lid back in place), turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta continue to simmer, stirring once every few minutes and always replacing the lid, for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

    Cooked pasta in the skillet

    Once the pasta is tender there should still be some thick saucy liquid left in the skillet. 

    shredded cheddar added to the skillet

    Make it cheesy: Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the pasta and stir until it has melted into the thick tomato sauce.

    taco pasta topped with green onion

    Serve: Top the cheesy taco pasta with sliced green onions and serve!

    Overhead view of a bowl of taco pasta

    Variations to Try!

    This is my favorite part of any recipe. I love rummaging through my fridge or pantry looking for leftovers that can be added to whatever I’m cooking to make sure nothing I buy goes to waste. And for this one, anything you’d normally pile onto tacos will totally work here. It is taco pasta, after all!

    Here are some other ingredients you can add that would also taste great with this flavor profile:

    • Jalapeños (fresh or pickled) – great as a topping, or sauté them with the onions for extra heat
    • Sour cream
    • Avocado
    • Black olives
    • Black beans or pinto beans – I’d use a whole 15 oz. can (drained and rinsed) and stir them in with the pasta
    • Pickled red onions
    • Fresh or frozen corn
    • Diced bell peppers or poblano peppers
    • Any melty cheese, like Monterrey jack, Colby, or a Mexican blend

    Serving Suggestions

    This beef taco pasta is a one-pot meal all on its own, so I usually just top each bowl with sliced green onions (and maybe a little extra cheese) and call it dinner. If you want to add something fresh on the side, a sweet corn salsa or my cowboy caviar would be perfect. And if you’re in the mood for serious comfort, a side of warm garlic bread is never a bad idea.

    Storage & Reheating

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Just note the pasta will keep soaking up the sauce as it sits, so it’ll be thicker the next day, and the pasta will be softer. When you reheat, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it back up, then warm it in the microwave in short bursts (stirring in between) or on the stovetop over medium-low until hot.

    If you want to freeze it, let it cool completely first, portion individual servings into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Freezing and thawing can also make the pasta much softer.

    More One-Pot Pasta Recipes

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    Our Beef Taco Pasta recipe was originally published 8/25/13. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 2/2/26.

    The post Taco Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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