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Creamy taco pasta is a one-pot, taco-seasoned Mexican pasta with juicy beef, tender pasta, beans, and cheesy sauce. Easy and perfect for busy family dinners.
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Why I Make Taco Pasta on Repeat
This Mexican taco pasta is one of my most reliable rotation dinners when I need something quick, filling, and ready fast. It uses simple ingredients I usually already have, and everything cooks in one pot, which keeps cleanup easy. The Instant Pot version (see recipe footnotes) actually went viral on social media a few years ago, and over time, I’ve heard from so many people who say, “Even my pickiest eater loved it!”
What else can I say? It's cheesy, creamy, and satisfying comfort food that’s ready fast. Oh, and if you love taco-style dinners, my taco bowl is another slam-dunk family meal.
Taco Pasta Ingredients
- Olive oil – Adds richness and helps sauté the onion and beef.
- Onion – Brings subtle sweetness and depth.
- Garlic – Adds depth of flavor to the whole dish.
- Ground beef – Creates a hearty base. You can swap in ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner option.
- Taco seasoning – Adds classic taco flavor. Use one packet for mild or two for a bolder taste. Save money and make homemade taco seasoning your way.
- Pasta – Short shapes like shells, elbows, or rotini work best and hold the sauce well.
- Canned diced tomatoes – Add a tangy balance to the rich, cheesy sauce. Use fire-roasted tomatoes or Rotel for a kicked-up version.
- Black beans – Add protein and fiber. Use canned black beans, or swap them for pinto beans if needed.
- Corn – Brings a little sweetness and texture to balance the savory flavors.
- Chicken broth – Cooks the pasta and adds flavor as everything simmers together.
- Cheddar cheese – Melts into the pasta for a creamy, cheesy finish.
- Optional toppings – Sour cream, salsa, chives, cilantro, jalapeños, or Greek yogurt for extra creaminess.
How to Make Taco Pasta
First, preheat a 3.5-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with a splash of broth, scraping up any browned bits.
Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, remaining broth, and pasta. Stir and press the pasta under the liquid so it’s mostly submerged. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, especially at the beginning, to prevent sticking.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8–12 minutes, until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Add a splash of broth or water if it starts to dry out. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese until melted and creamy, or sprinkle it over individual servings.
Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, then serve with your favorite toppings.
Make It Your Own
This recipe is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand. Swap the ground beef for turkey or chicken, skip the beans or use pinto beans instead, or add heat with green chiles or chili flakes.
Recipe Tips
- Taco seasoning: Reader feedback says 2 tablespoons (1 packet) keeps it mild and kid-friendly. Use up to 4 tablespoons for a stronger taco flavor.
- Salt control: Using low-sodium broth and beans gives you more control over the final flavor. Taste at the end and adjust as needed.
- Pasta choice: Short pasta like shells, elbows, or rotini cooks evenly in one pot and holds the sauce well.
- Extra cheesy option: Double the cheddar for a richer finish.
- Tomatoes vs salsa: Diced tomatoes give a milder flavor. Salsa adds more seasoning and a bolder taste. Use what you prefer or have on hand.
- Final texture: The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. Add a splash of broth when reheating or before serving if needed.
Serving Ideas
Spoon taco pasta into bowls and top with sour cream, salsa, lime crema, or a squeeze of lime for a fresh finish. Add chives, cilantro, jalapeños, or diced avocado for extra flavor and texture.
For a simple meal, serve it with tortilla chips for crunch or a side salad to balance the richness. Set out some guacamole or 5-minute blender salsa and let everyone build their own bowl.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
📖 Recipe
Taco Pasta Recipe
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Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, or preferred oil
- 1 medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning, or a 1-ounce packet
- 8 ounces Uncooked Pasta (225 g), such as medium shells, macaroni, or rotini
- 1 (15-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes (don't drain), or 1 cup salsa picante
- 1 (15-ounce can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Corn, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 4 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded (1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
Optional toppings
- Sour cream, salsa, green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, or lime.
Instructions
Stove instructions (see Instant Pot instructions below)
- Preheat a 3.5-quart saucepan over medium-high. Add the OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add ONION and GROUND BEEF. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in TACO SEASONING and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, stirring as needed.
- Add the UNCOOKED PASTA, DICED TOMATOES, BLACK BEANS, CORN, and CHICKEN BROTH. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, especially at the beginning to prevent sticking. If the pasta absorbs liquid too quickly, add small splashes of broth or water to keep the mixture from drying out.
- Remove from heat and stir in the CHEDDAR CHEESE until melted and creamy. Add a splash of broth if needed to help it blend smoothly.
- Taste and add SALT and PEPPER as needed.
- Serve warm with optional toppings.
Storage and reheat
- To store, cool completely and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze for up to 90 days.
- To reheat, add a splash of broth or water to revive the creamy texture.
Recipe Notes
Pressure Cooker Instructions
Press Sauté on a 6-quart pressure cooker. When HOT, add olive oil, then cook the onion and ground beef until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant. Add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits, then press Cancel. Add uncooked pasta, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, and remaining chicken broth. Press the pasta down so it’s mostly submerged. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook for 0 minutes (shells) or 1 minute (macaroni or rotini). Allow a 10-minute natural release, then turn the valve to Venting and open the lid. Stir well. Continue with step 6 in the stove instructions.Equipment
- 3.5 quart saucepan or dutch oven
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Heidi says
This is one beautiful taco feast in a bowl! I love all of the rich and savory flavors you've infused into this dish. The garlic and onion combined with homemade taco seasoning are a real treat for the taste buds. I also loved your choice of medium sized shells. These are so perfect for soaking up all those gorgeous taco flavors. YUM!
Traci says
I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipe, Heidi! It truly is one of our favorites. Thank you for taking to time to leave this feedback 🙂
Priscilla Applegate says
Delicious! We added some mushrooms too. Easy and doesn't take long to make.
Traci says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Priscilla! And we love how fast it is too 🙂 Thanks for sharing your results!
Andee says
I'm not usually a fan of things like this. They usually lack flavor and I don't love casserole type dishes, however, this was an extremely pleasant surprise. Simple to make with ingredients I always have around, full of flavor and you can change up the taste by which toppings you choose. Great for a weeknight meal! Thanks for this great recipe!
Traci says
Thank you for taking a chance on it. That truly makes my day. ☺️ I love hearing that it won you over, especially since you don’t usually go for this entree style. I’m so glad it turned into a great weeknight meal for you. Yay!
Myrna Gonzalez Childress says
I underestimated how delicious this was going to be. Add how easy it was to prepare and you’ve got a recipe you can use often. I used rotini pasta and cooked it in the instant pot. So simple and delicious I’ll be making it again.
Traci says
I'm so glad you loved it! Isn’t it crazy how easy it comes together? Rotini is perfect for catching all that sauce. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! Enjoy 🙂
Rebecca says
Great recipe! My husband and father in law loved it. I made it with ground turkey and large shell pasta. I added double the taco seasoning and used fire roasted diced tomatoes. Those are my only edits. Really delicious.
Traci Antonovich says
I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it! Your subs sound perfect and really speak to the flexibility of this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. xoxo
Maureen says
Amazing!!! I used a jar of salsa and also a jar of fresh salsa instead of just tomatoes and I added garlic. It came out incredible.
Traci says
Yay! Sounds perfect and I'm so glad you enjoyed. Thanks for trying it and for sharing your experience. 🙂
Maureen says
Just made Amazing! Added fresh garlic, jar of salsa& fresh salsa n doubled recipe! Delicious
Traci says
Oh wow! Doubling the recipe is the way to go! I'm so glad you went for it. Enjoy!
Gary Kaetzel says
Hi Traci! I've made this yummy recipe a number of times since I printed out the recipe for the first time back in 2020. I find I printed it out twice! Once in 2020 and once in 2024. Memory like a sieve sometimes!!! I used large shells and they worked fine. I like this recipe! For the tomatoes I used Rotel seasoned for chili and they compliment it perfectly! Thanks for this yummy one as it snowed and iced up here in St. Louis and this was the perfect way to forget it finally snowed and iced here!
Traci says
Yay! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe for so long—it makes me so happy to hear it’s become a go-to! Your customizations sound like perfect tweaks. And what a cozy meal for a snowy, icy day! Thanks for sharing your kind words—it means so much!