Taco Pasta

Taco Pasta!! Now that’s a taco lover’s sweet dream. All your favorite taco flavors get cheesy and creamy!! I choose any type of pasta I love, mix it up with some homemade taco seasoning for that essential kick, and there you have it: Taco Pasta!

Believe me, this dish is hands down irresistible. I make it Tex-Mex style, turning ordinary pasta into a comfort food treat with a Mexican twist. It’s my quick, go-to meal when I need something delicious, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes.

Tonight, I’m all about adding new flavors to my dinner with this easy Mexican Pasta… Taco Pasta!

Who doesn’t like some delicious pasta any time, any day of the year?

Jason salivates with just the thought of any Italian meal with pasta in it. Be his all time favorite Spaghetti with Meat Sauce or Creamy Sausage Pasta or good old Johnny Marzetti. It’s all good when that pasta comes to the table.

Todays pasta is very unique, though it may remind you of one meal that you grew up on, Hamburger Helper. It’s just gets more creamy, more tasty and more cheesy, along with a good dose of veggie power.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Making your own taco seasoning is so simple, and can be done in minutes. It’s a secret for the delicious taco meat that is the base of this taco pasta.

I swear by my simple Taco Seasoning recipe, which I use in so many of my recipes. All you need is a few simple ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry:

• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Red chili flakes
• Oregano
• Salt
• Pepper

I just measure everything according to the amounts in the recipe card, mix it up, and I am all set for some great taco pasta.

Ingredients Needed

• Ground Beef – You can make this taco pasta with any kind of ground meat on hand, but I typically use 85/15 ground beef.
• Veggies and aromatics – Onion, bell peppers (use different colored peppers for color), sweet corn (we use frozen), Rotel tomatoes, garlic.
• Taco seasoning – See above.
• For sauce – Heavy cream, beef broth, cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
• Pasta – Any of your favorite pasta shape would work here. I like to use shapes that hold the sauce well, like rotini, shells, or elbow macaroni.
• Olive oil – Or any other cooking oil.
• Salt – To taste.
• Cilantro – For garnish.

Ground Beef Taco Pasta Recipe

First, I cook the pasta by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. I cook the pasta until it’s al dente, following the package instructions. Once it’s done, I drain it and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, I start making the taco pasta sauce. I heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and sauté it until it’s no longer pink. Once the meat is browned, I toss in diced onions, bell peppers, corn, and garlic, sautéing until the veggies start to soften. After that, I stir in taco seasoning and Rotel tomatoes, mixing everything together and letting it cook for about 10 minutes so all the flavors can blend.

To make the taco pasta sauce, I push the meat and veggie mixture to the edges of the skillet, creating a space in the middle. In that center spot, I pour in the beef broth, heavy cream, softened cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. Then, I let it all start to melt and combine, stirring occasionally until it turns into a creamy, cheesy sauce that blends perfectly with the meat mixture.

I swirl it all together, cooking until I have a smooth and creamy sauce. Then, I mix the taco meat mixture with the sauce and combine everything well. I taste it and season with salt to taste.

To finish the taco pasta, I add the cooked pasta right into the skillet with the taco mixture. I stir everything together until the pasta is fully coated and combined with the cheesy, tasty sauce.

I cook everything together for about 5 minutes until all the flavors blend nicely. Then, I garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve it immediately.

Variations:

Swap the meat: I swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken if I want a lower fat option. Mixing ground beef and ground pork also makes a great combo for this pasta. I’ve even thought about using ground sausage, which would be delicious.

Add different types of tomatoes: For the tomatoes, some days I use regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel, or try any salsa or even enchilada sauce for a different flavor profile.

Add in extra flavors: To add extra flavors, I throw in black beans and other veggies like mushrooms, peas, black olives, or pickled jalapeños.

Play with the sauce: When it comes to playing with the sauce, I have plenty of options. Sometimes I make it with just cream and cheddar cheese, skipping the cream cheese. Or I might skip the cream and use just cream cheese, or even sour cream. Sometimes, I skip the creamy factor altogether and just add cheddar cheese to the meat sauce. Substituting Monterey Jack or mozzarella for cheddar cheese is also a great idea.

Add toppings: For toppings, I like to serve this pasta with extras like diced scallions, fresh salsa, fresh diced tomatoes, sliced avocados, or a dollop of sour cream.

Alpana’s Tips

• I cook the pasta al dente because it will finish cooking when I mix it with the taco meat sauce.
• If I don’t have Rotel tomatoes and still want a little heat, I simply use diced canned tomatoes and add a jalapeño to the mix.
• For the ground beef, I like to use 85/15 (ground round) for this pasta. It adds a lot of flavor to the dish. I can always drain the excess fat as much as I want, though I recommend leaving a little behind for the flavor.
• I use block cheddar cheese and shred it fresh. It makes a big difference in the melt and flavor of the cheese in the dish.

In our home, I can’t live without tacos, and Jason’s eyes light up at the thought of pasta. So this Taco Pasta dinner is our dream come true for any night.

Try my version of taco pasta, and see how beautifully cheesy and creamy it turns out, full of all the taco flavors. Tex-Mex flavors in your pasta is the new sensation you can create in your kitchen. Go the taco way… Taco Pasta way. You will love it.

Taco Pasta, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other creamy pasta dishes!
Creamy Ground Chicken Pasta
Creamy Salmon Pasta
Jambalaya Pasta
Fettuccine Alfredo
Gigi Hadid Pasta
Tortellini al Forno
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Rasta Pasta

Taco Pasta

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Combine two of your favorite meals, and you get... Taco Pasta! This 30-minute recipe fuses taco flavors with comforting goodness of creamy, cheesy pasta. Big time YUM!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 to 1½ pounds ground beef
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper. diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup sweet corn, frozen
• 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
• Taco Seasoning (see note 1)
• 1 10oz can Rotel tomatoes (see note 2)
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8oz pasta of your choice
• salt to taste
• cilantro to garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, make the taco pasta sauce. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and sauté till no longer pink. Add in diced onion, bell peppers, corn and garlic, and sauté till veggies start to soften.
3. Add in taco seasoning and rotel tomatoes, and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Create a space in the middle by pushing meat mixture to the edges of the pan. Add beef broth, heavy cream, softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese to the center. Mix well until it becomes a smooth and creamy sauce. Mix in the taco meat mixture with the sauce and combine well. Taste and season with salt to taste.
5. Add in cooked pasta and combine well with the meat sauce. Cook for 5 minutes, till all flavors mix well.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.

Notes

1. Taco Seasoning:
   1 Tbsp chili powder
   1.5 tsp cumin
   1 tsp garlic powder
   ½ tsp onion powder
   1 tsp oregano
   1 tsp paprika (we use smoked)
   ¼ tsp red chili flakes
   1 tsp salt
   ½ tsp black pepper
   - Mix ingredients in a bowl and use all for this recipe.
2. You can use diced tomatoes instead of rotel.
3. Leftovers: Leftover taco pasta is great for 3-4 days in an airtight container in your fridge. Reheat: You can warm it in a saucepan slowly and over low heat for best results. Add in a splash of cream if it dries out. Alternately, you can also warm it up in the microwave. We don't recommend freezing this taco pasta. Cheesy sauces don't do well in the freezer.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.