Taco Pasta is half taco, half pasta! This mouth-watering, one-pot Mexican pasta is made for the Instant Pot or stove. Juicy beef, black beans, and shell pasta are taco-seasoned, cheese-covered, and ready to devour in 30 minutes! It's another in my line of easy dinner recipes to help you crush weeknight dinners, just like my Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl.
Taco pasta is a family favorite and always makes me feel like a big kid when I eat it. It reminds me of those boxed meals I loved growing up, only it's made with real ingredients!
This Tex-Mex Mexican pasta is so delicious, we barely have leftovers every time we make it. This frugal recipe is a great way to stretch out inexpensive pantry ingredients, ground beef, and cheddar cheese. It's a time-saver too as it's ready in 30 minutes, just like my Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl.
Fun fact about TKG: I was afraid of my Instant Pot when I bought it 3 years ago 😳It sat in the box for a few months. Seemed like total hype about how convenient it was to cook meals. Then, I started testing things. I finally warmed up to it, went ALL in, and never looked back! Even my other half (the non-cook) regularly makes our dinners from my Instant Pot recipe collection 🙌🏼 Yeah, nothing hype about that!
Taco Pasta Ingredient List
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- olive oil (or any cooking oil)
- onion (white, red, or yellow)
- ground beef (or ground turkey or ground chicken)
- canned diced tomatoes (or packaged salsa or diced tomatoes with green chilis)
- black beans (canned or pressure cooked)
- pasta shells
- taco seasoning
- chicken broth (or beef broth)
- cheddar cheese (or any cheese combo)
- salt
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How to make taco pasta in the Instant Pot
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Step 1: Saute onions and beef in the Instant Pot on 'saute' setting (I use the 6 quart Duo)
Step 2: Stir in all other ingredients (except the cheese) and make sure pasta is under the liquid. It's ok to stir everything together like a soup.
Step 3: Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK on high pressure for 1 minute followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Step 4: Stir in cheddar cheese, add salt if needed, and devour!
How to make taco pasta on the stove
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Step 1: Saute onions and beef in a soup pot on med-high heat.
Step 2: Add all other ingredients (except the cheese) and increase heat to bring everything to a boil for a few minutes.
Step 3: Reduce heat to simmer all ingredients until pasta is cooked through.
Step 4: Stir in cheddar cheese, salt to taste, and devour!
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Keep this taco pasta recipe close and make it often! It quite literally solves ALL the problems of weeknight cooking and makes the whole family happy!
What's the best pasta for Taco Pasta?
The best pasta to use for this Mexican pasta recipe includes your basic, everyday varieties like shells, rotini, penne, bowtie, and macaroni. These pasta varieties are budget-friendly and available everywhere.
Taco pasta recipe tips & substitutions
Taco seasoning – Reader feedback says that 1 packet makes is kid-friendly and 2 packets makes grown-ups happy. You get to pick 🤩
Add frozen or fresh corn to this recipe. YUM! You can add it before it pressure cooks, or after. Your choice. It's SO delish with corn.
Want it cheesier? Double the cheddar cheese (you might need a splash of broth to help smooth it out).
Add salt to taste. If you use reduced-sodium ingredients (tomatoes, beans, chicken broth), there’s a strong chance you’ll need to add salt to this recipe.
You can use ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the beef.
We like to substitute the cheese with sour cream…or for a healthier twist…plain yogurt.
You can use pinto beans in place of black beans…or no beans, if you prefer.
Feel free to add a can of diced chiles to this to spice things up!
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Recommended Tools
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- 6 quart Duo Instant Pot or 4-quart saucepot
- Chopstir meat chopping and stirring utensil
- stirring utensil
- can opener
- air-tight storage containers (to store leftovers)
Grab these Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Italian Sausage Soup With Orzo
- Lasagna Soup For Instant Pot Or Stove
- Ham Alfredo Pasta For Instant Pot Or Stove
- Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta In Lemon Cream Sauce
Taco Pasta [Instant Pot or Stove]
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil or other oil
- 1/2 Onion diced
- 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
- 1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes (keep juice) or 1 cup packaged salsa
- 1 15 oz can Black Beans drained
- 8 oz Uncooked Shell Pasta about 4 cups
- 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning same as 1-oz packet * See footnote
- 2 1/4 cups Chicken Broth add more for stove version as needed
- 8 oz Cheddar Cheese 2 cups shredded
- Salt to taste
RECIPE VIDEO
Recipe Instructions
Taco Pasta for Instant Pot 6 qt Duo
- Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and heat the OIL.
- When the display reads "Hot", add ONION and GROUND BEEF; sauté until cooked through, stirring as needed.
- Press "Cancel" on the Instant Pot. Drain excess fat from the beef, if preferred.
- Add DICED TOMATOES (with their juice), BLACK BEANS (drained), PASTA SHELLS, TACO SEASONING, and CHICKEN BROTH.Press pasta under the liquid to submerge it.
- Secure the lid, turn pressure release valve to "Sealing" position.Select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" button; adjust cooker to "High pressure" for 1 minute. (Yes, you read that right ... 1 minute) 😉 Note: Use 2 minutes pressure cook time for thicker pasta (penne, rotini, macaroni, etc)
- When pressure cook cycle completes, leave the cooker undisturbed for a 10-minute (NPR) natural pressure release. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP ... the pasta is still cooking.
- Carefully turn the pressure release valve to "Venting" position to release any remaining steam.
- Remove the lid. Stir in the CHEDDAR CHEESE and add SALT to taste.Note: If you see excess liquid at first, don't worry, it helps prevent cheese clumping and the pasta will soak up the excess in about 10 minutes.
Taco Pasta (Stove Instructions)
- Heat a 3.5 quart soup pot over medium-high heat; add ONIONS, sautéing until tender, stirring as needed.
- Add GROUND BEEF and sauté until beef is cooked through, stirring as needed.
- Stir in DICED TOMATOES (with their juice), BLACK BEANS, PASTA SHELLS, TACO SEASONING, and CHICKEN BROTH.
- Turn heat to HIGH and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to medium low and simmer until pasta is cooked through (about 10 minutes). Add a splash of water during the process if it needs it.
- Stir in the CHEDDAR CHEESE and serve. Add SALT to taste.
Taco Pasta Serving and Storage Instructions
- Serve taco pasta warm with your choice of toppings: cilantro, lime, jalapeño, cheese, or sour cream.
- Store in an airtight container up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 90 days in the freezer.
RECIPE NOTES
TOOLS NEEDED
- Instant Pot or 3.5 quart saucepot
- slotted spoon
- can opener
- air-tight storage containers (to store leftovers)
Nutrition
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Surprisingly delicious and so simple! 20 minutes and I had a hot, filling, tasty meal on the table. Will go in the rotation. Thank you!
Awesome, Mattie! So glad you enjoy taco pasta too! One of our favs 🙂 Thanks for the feedback 💚
Big hit! I left out the black beans (no one in our family likes back beans) and added green chiles and corn. I also used two packets of taco seasoning. Definitely going into the regular rotation.
Awesome, Mary! So glad the family loved it 🙂 Love the green chiles and corn add-in. Yummm! I really appreciate the feedback, thanks! 💚
I made this tonight for the family and everyone loved it!! I followed the recipe exactly but I used gluten free rotini noodles. Cooked for the 2 minutes, not much liquid left I think due to the GF noodles. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Oh very cool, Emily! I'd love to know what brand of GF noodles you used in case other readers are interested. I'm so glad it was a hit for your family 🙂 Thanks so much for the feedback ... I really appreciate it ❤️
Excellent and quick. Can easily be adapted. Kids loved it. Dad loved it! Thank you !
Awesome, Joe! So glad to hear it. I always love when the kids approve...Dad too! 😉 Thanks so much for the feedback!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Our family loved it! I used a tri-blend pasta that consisted of Penne, Rigatoni and Shells. I also substituted diced chicken over beef. I will definitely add this to our family cookbook. I think next time I will also add I some cubes of cream cheese, thought maybe it would be a good “cream sauce” I’ll let you know. Thanks again!
Awww, thank YOU Tema for taking the time to share your experience ❤️ I'm so glad to inspire your wonderful meal! I'm pretty sure cream cheese will make this dish beyond epic 🤩 But do let me know 😉 Thanks again!
Reliable and delicious every time! I must admit, when you first open the lid, there's a little extra liquid, but the recipe is right...this helps blend the cheese. Also, the pasta soaks it up quickly enough and by the next day, you're adding liquid to it during reheat LOL. It's just how pasta works. Still one of my favorite Kitchen Girl recipes!
Hi Shelvie, hmmm, no one has complained of it being too much pasta...but you are the 2nd person confused by the cup amount, which was intended to be helpful 😂. Soooo, I'm deleting the 'cup amount' and leaving it as 8oz, which always equals 1/2 box of any standard 16oz pasta. You're always welcome to use less pasta. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback!
Has anyone tried this with something like beyond beef? Would love a vegetarian version. Just not sure how the new fake meats hold up in boiling pressure
Hi Nick, I haven't tried meat substitutes for this recipe as I usually don't use them. If you use one, I'd probably cook it separately and add at the end. Then again, this is a great recipe without meat OR substitutes 🙂
What do you think or have you used elbow macaroni or orecchiette pasta in this recipe?😊
Hi Judy, yes either will work. I would definitely pressure cook either of those noodles for 2 minutes (instead of the 1 min cook time for regular shells) Also, you'll still want the full 10 min natural pressure release. Hope that answers your question...lemme know if you have more questions 🤩
Love this recipe so much!
So easy, and it’s incredibly delicious!
Awesome, Tammy! So glad to hear it and thank you for dropping this review...much appreciated ❤️
I accidentally used an entire 16 oz box of bow tie pasta lol but it still turned out great! Thanks for the simple recipe! I’m usually too scared to make pasta in my IP but this one worked nicely!
Soooo glad you're enjoying it, Kris 💚 That extra means taco pasta for days...a good problem LOL. Truly, thank you so much!
Love love loved this recipe!!!!! So easy and delicious!
Thanks so much, Mallory! I'm so glad you gave it a go and loved it!! 🤩
The recipe doesn’t state what size instant pot works best. I have a 3 quart, would it be too full if I made this recipe in there?
Hi Linda, this recipe was written using the 6 Qt Duo and yields 9 cups (which is 2 quarts + 1 cup). You asked if this will fit into a 3 quart. I'm gathering from this Instant Pot page that the recipe should be cut in half to fit the 3 quart, and cooking time stays the same. Let me know if you have questions 🙂
Taco pasta on REPEAT! Couldn't be easier and hits the spot every time. Great leftovers!!! If you like stronger taco flavor, go for the 1/4 cup amount of taco seasoning.
Could I make this in stuffed shells?
Hi Constance. Hmmmmm, I don't have instructions on how to turn this into stuffed shells. Sounds delicious, though!
I made this tonight for my husband and I. We have alot of leftovers with just the two of us. Does this do well with freezing leftovers?
Nevermind! I just saw where it said you can freeze it up to 90 days!
Haha ok 🙂
Hope you loved it 🙂 Yes, it yields 9 1-cup servings and yep, freezing is an option 🙂
Hi! I'm planning on making this tonight, can't wait! I just had one question...the 4 cups of pasta, is that equivalent to one whole box? Or is it less or more than that?
Thank you!
Hi Candice, it varies and really depends on the type of pasta, which is why I made it 4 cups...to keep the volume consistent regardless of the type. What are you planning to use?
Thanks for getting back to me so quick! I plan on using Rotini.
You're so welcome 🙂 So, we just used Rotini this week for ours and we used exactly 4 cups. I believe there are 5 cups in a 1 lb. box and I don't recommend using that much b/c I think the other ingredients will get lost in that extra pasta. Hope you love it like we do!
It's absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this over and over again! Thank you!!
Oh yay...so glad to hear it, Candice! Are you able to add a star rating to this review? That would be the mostest 😉 Have a great weekend!
This Taco Pasta is making me super hungry that I could hear my tummy growl! Yum! I can't wait to have this on my plate.
Haha thanks, Maggie! I get the same feelings a lot 😂 because yummmmm!
I made this last night, thanks to this post and it was soooo good! I used pinto beans because we are out of black beans and it was delish! Thanks for the dinner idea - this one is a keeper!
Awesome, Stephanie! I'm SO glad you enjoyed it and thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. Much appreciated 🙂
Will doubling this receipt fit in an 8 quart IP? How long would it take to get done?
Hi Alice, doubling for 8 quart will be just fine. I can't tell you how long it will take to get it done in that model, but I can tell you that you will use the same instructions for the 8 or 6 quart. Hope that answers your question 🙂
This dish certainly has my mouth watering! I love tacos and I love pasta so this sounds like the perfect dish for me and my family.
Thanks, Bintu! So glad your family can enjoy this one 🙂
I love taco pasta so much!! This is such an easy, satisfying recipe and we love it!
Awesome, Marlynn! So glad you think so...we're right there with you 🙂
You had me at Taco Pasta. Two of my favorite things combined! So good!
Haha right there with you, Alison. So glad you can enjoy the combination 🙂
So easy and totally cheesy. Perfect weeknight recipe and loaded with protein.
Thanks, Jen! Glad you think so 🙂
So easy and yummy! My picky picky boy loved it! Thanks for the recipe!!
These are my favorite words, Peg 😊 Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know 🧡
Tacos and pasta? What's NOT to love! This recipe ROCKS every time and is so fast! Doesn't get any simpler and will be making this again and again!