This easy to make cheesy taco pasta recipe is a dinner your family is sure to love! It has been a reader favorite for years.
I love to spend hours in the kitchen, but the reality is that I don’t always have the time to do that.
The majority of us need quick and easy recipes that don’t break the budget.
However, just because it is quick and easy does not mean that it has to come from a mix or box.
Quick and easy food can also be delicious homemade food. It can also be kid friendly and budget friendly.
Taste of Home
Taco pasta is a recipe that I found in an old Taste Of Home magazine. It think it was probably a copy from the early 1990’s.
The basic idea caught my attention because it was easy, simple, and frugal. Not only that it contained things that I almost always have on hand.
I changed up the recipe a little, but it is the same basic idea.
The taco pasta was an instant hit with my whole family. I have made this so many times over the last twelve years.
I have made it for company and taken it to potlucks and church dinners. It is always a meal that everyone enjoys.
FAQS
Yes, this recipe freezes well. Make as directed, but do not bake. Cool completely and freeze. Defrost and cook as directed
Taco pasta is easy to make gluten free if you use gluten free taco seasoning and gluten free pasta. I make this all the time gluten free and it works great.
Taco Pasta Recipe
An easy kid friendly dinner that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 package (1-1/4 ounces) taco seasoning ( use gluten free seasoning if gf )
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 package (8 ounce) shell macaroni, cooked and drained ( Use gluten free pasta for a gluten free version )
- 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat.
- Drain and add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and green chilies.
- Stir in cooked macaroni.
- Place in a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese.
- Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
I like to use shell shaped pasta, but just about any shape will work.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 310mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 21g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
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Originally posted March 2010. Updated February 2022.
This pasta looks seriously cheesy and delicious. Comfort food at its finest.
.-= Joanne´s last blog ..Bailey’s Irish Creme and Vanilla Tiramisu – Have the Cake =-.
I was reading this on my iPhone reader when my 7yo sat down beside me to peek. She asked me to make it for dinner, and since I picked up 4lbs of beef last night I went ahead and made 4 dishes – three into the freezer to simplify my life in the future!
Thanks for the easy, tasty recipe!
Is it really 8oz of pasta? That doesn’t sound right.
Thanks
@robink, I used 2 cups of dry pasta, which I believe is 8 ounces. I do think you could stretch this some by adding more pasta, but it would not be as saucy that way.
It’s hard to beat tomato, cheese, pasta, with taco taste! And, that’s quite an endorsement from your family–woohoo! Thanks for sharing this one, Lynn. I’ll definitely put it in my cooking plans. As you said, you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to have a great meal that everyone enjoys. 🙂
Shirley
.-= gfe–gluten free easily´s last blog ..Surprise! Vinegar Pie … Oh, My! =-.
I made this today. It’s easy and delicious. I used macaroni noodles, though, because I had some of those in the pantry.
Hi Lynn,
I thought I’d share a similar recipe for Taco Sheppard’s Pie that you and your family might also enjoy. Add taco seasoning and a can or two of creamed corn to your cooked ground beef. I also like to add a can of corn niblets. I haven’t tried it, but I am betting the green chilies would be good in this too. Top with mashed potatoes and grated cheese (cheddar or tex-mex mix is good). Use the same cooking instructions as your taco pasta recipe.
Take Care and thanks for this recipe. I am going to have to give it a try!
This looks yummy! I was thinking instead of a brown rice gf pasta, maybe I would try Kamut Khorasan wheat? Have you ever tried it? I know it is a wheat but since it is an ancient variety I heard some with gluten intolerance can handle it. I just don’t love the brown rice pasta so much – it always seems so chewy. Anyway – the recipe looks delish, thank you! 🙂
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@smilinggreenmom, I think this is cheesy enough and has enough sauce, just about any pasta would work. I used to use a lot of whole wheat pasta, but my family is actually preferring the brown rice pasta to the whole wheat pasta that I use to use. You are right though it is a bit chewy.
This looks absolutely to die for – and so simple! Mouth = watering.
.-= Mrs. Jen B´s last blog ..Divine Deviled Eggs =-.
this looks great!
.-= Fire-Eyes´s last blog ..Gluten Free Wednesday White Trash =-.
We like these types of easy, delicious pasta dishes. Yum!
.-= Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads´s last blog ..Grapefruit & Prickly Pear Roast Chicken =-.
This is a sure winner. I could see using it to feed a bunch of teenagers. Thanks for sharing it a Gluten-Free Wednesdays!
.-= Linda´s last blog ..Gluten-Free Hot Pockets =-.
I like this idea for a weeknight meal. It sounds great.
.-= Brian´s last blog ..Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese =-.
im so making this!
This looks delicious! I’m putting it on my menu for this week!
I made this last week and it is delicious! Even my 3 yo daughter ate some, which is amazing because she is SO picky. I will be making this again!
Made this last night(doubling the recipe) for family and friends and it was OH SO GOOD. I was surfing the net and looking for something fast, easy, and simple.
Thank you so much Lynn! This is definitely a keeper.
I made this for my family tonight. We all loved it! Thank you for sharing!
Found this recipe through Organizing Junkie and so glad I did. I have been avoiding menu planning this week because I needed to think of a frugal, yummy main dish to take to our church potluck on Sunday. But now I know exactly what I am making! I can’t wait to try this and I am sure it will be a hit at our potluck! Thanks.
I made this one for dinner last night and my 17YO LOVED it – she said it was a combination of two of her favorite foods – pasta and tacos. I’ll definitely make this recipe again.
.-= Mandy´s last blog ..Children can thrive after the end of a marriage =-.
@Mandy, I am so glad that you enjoyed it. It is def. a kid friendly meal.
My hubby fixed this for supper tonight. He pureed the chilies with the tomato sauce in the blender because we usually prefer less “chunky.” 🙂 It turned out great! (I was a bit hesitant… as I thought the green chilies *and* taco seasoning together would make this too spicy, but they didn’t.)
Thanks for sharing it with us!
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Just wanted to let you know that I fixed this over the weekend added a side salad and bread sticks. My family loved it.
If you have a picky eater they will eat this.
I found you from Organizing Junkie… Wow, this dish looks GREAT! Our family loves pasta AND tacos–so it sounds perfect! Thanks. Also, I wanted to say that I LOVE your blog design. From the minute I opened it up, the spring green just cheered me up! 🙂
Recipes my fridge and cupboard are already prepared for, that’s what I like!
So yummy and easy! I added corn to mine also. My fam really enjoyed it, thank you….
Just made this – kids are very excited to dig in to eat it for dinner. So easy and simple, and delicious. We did it with whole wheat pasta shells – so glad to have found a quick, healthy recipe to add to my collection!
.-= A Crafty Mom´s last blog ..A Tribute to CHEO =-.
This looks AWESOME! Can’t wait to try it. Has anyone frozen it and then cooked it? I wonder how well it freezes.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Saturday, Part 2 =-.
@Amanda, I have not frozen it, but others have said they were going to try it. I think it would work well.
Had this for dinner tonight…very good..thanks!!
We live in Arizona and don’t like to use the oven much during the summer. Sounds like you could warm this in the microwave instead of the oven.
Most casseroles can be cooked in the crock pot, after it’s heated through, turn it up to high and take the top off to let the edges of the cheese get a little crispy (maybe 30 min for that).
That sounds really, really good. I’m not a fan of hamburger, but everything else sounds great. Thanks. Sometimes when a recipe calls for hamburger, I used stew beef – cooked till tender, in place of the hamburger. That way, I can avoid the meat. I think this might work for this recipe. Any comments?
@cassie – b, I think that might work. You might also try leaving the meat out and using black beans instead. I think that would work well.
@Lynn,
Black beans in place of the meat sounds great. Thanks!
Hi, you can substitute ground turkey or meatballs instead. Just don’t chop up the turkey too finely. I’ve also successfully substituted lentils in place of a meat when I didn’t have meat or it was one of my meatless menu days.
I made this for my family tonight and it was a hit! All 4 kids gobbled it right up. My husband and I loved it, too. He suggested adding beans and corn. I’m not a fan of beans, but I might throw some corn in next time. My kids told me I could make this every week! Thanks!
I made this last night for dinner. My husband and I loved it. I will make this again.
@Emily, I am so glad that you enjoyed it.
MMM< looks so yummy! thanks for the the recipe, I'll have to try it in the next few days!!
Thanks for sharing! It’s just me and hubs now (baby’s on the way), so when he was supposed to be out of town for work all week, I saved up some leftovers for me and had no plans to cook all week – until he called me at noon on Monday and said he would be home that night after all. AHH! Dinner scramble!
Then we got home from work to find our kitchen freezer broken 🙁 Thankfully there was room in the deep freeze for the important stuff, but I found some partly thawed black beans in the mix that went right into this dish. I used a 12 oz bag of pasta, and even with the beans added in it was plenty saucy for us. Served with some chips and guac. There was lots left over since with the beef and beans it’s very hearty.
Total thumbs up – will definitely make again!!
Made this today as a meal for me to eat over the next few days since it is my work stretch (I work as a nurse doing overnights). Super easy to make. I added a can of corn for the fun of it. It tasted great! I have 2 servings in the fridge and 2 in the freezer to eat for later. Thanks!
@Erin Rose, I am so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.
I happen to have leftover taco meat with corn and black beans in my refrigerator just waiting to be re-purposed into something yummy. I am going to make this tonight!!
made this tonight-added a can of corn, some beans and some black olives to stretch it a bit-it was a hit with all!
I added Bush’s Grillin Beans in Southwest Chipotle and about 1/2 can of chicken broth. I undercooked the pasta so that the chicken broth would finish cooking it while it was baking. I’ll let you know how it turns out 🙂
supper!!!!
My boyfriend and I made this and waiting for it to finish right now… the kitchen sure does smell yummy!!!!!! I can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoy it!
I made this tonight. I have a family of 5 and one being a teenager I doubled the whole recipe. Will let you know how the family liked it. 🙂
I make something like this for my family but we serve it as a skillet dinner.
I brown the meat with onions and add mushrooms, and I use a pound of small shell pasta. Once the meat mixture is hot and bubbly, add in the drained pasta. Serve in bowls with grated cheese, sour cream and salsa. YUM
Only my 4 year old is GF, and there’s always the risk that he won’t eat, so I’m making a non-GF batch, but saving some meat to mix with his GF noodles! GF pasta is so expensive! Any success in making white rice flour pasta??
Gluten free pasta is one thing I have not tried to make. Since several in my house eat gluten free, I usually just make and serve gluten free pasta. I hope you enjoy the taco pasta. My kids love it.
I made the taco pasta tonight and it was delicious!! I did substitute the tomato sauce for enchilada sauce…because we didn’t have the tomato sauce and it was really good! If you get a chance try it!! I am going to try the original soon!!
I am glad you enjoyed it and the enchilada sauce worked. I love using what you have to make things work! I will have to try that!
My wife and I made this recipe last night. It was sooo good! We used a jar of salsa (because we had it in the fridge) instead of the tomato sauce and it still turned out great. Thanks for posting!