Taco Pasta

Two dinnertime favorites come together in one dish for this Mexican twist on the classic mac and cheese! Taco Pasta is one of those easy dinners that the entire family will love, and it’s ready for the oven in about 15 minutes.

All of the busy parents out there — I know that you can appreciate another make-ahead weeknight dinner that your kids will actually eat (and for once, it’s not chicken nuggets). In fact, your husband might just love this even more than the children do!

I basically just jazzed up some Velveeta Shells & Cheese with a bit of ground beef and salsa, and called it Taco Pasta. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

How to make Taco Pasta:

Just a few simple pantry staples come together to create this crowd-pleaser.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

• shells pasta
• ground beef
• salsa
• cream of chicken soup
• Velveeta cheese
• shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

First, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a Dutch oven or large skillet, and drain off any fat.

Stir in the salsa, condensed soup and Velveeta cheese, and heat through until the cheese starts to melt. Add the cooked pasta, transfer to a baking dish, and sprinkle shredded cheese over top.

Bake the casserole in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, just until everything is heated through and the cheese is melted.

What to serve with Taco Pasta:

This Mexican-inspired pasta dinner pairs nicely with:

• Fresh salsa, guacamole and tortilla chips
• Healthy Corn Salad
• Black Bean and Corn Salad
• A simple green salad tossed with buttermilk dressing
• Quick and Easy Pico de Gallo

Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:

• Make chicken taco pasta by substituting ground chicken in this recipe or by using shredded chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken
• If you don’t have shells pasta, you can substitute with another similar short pasta shape — such as penne!
• Prep ahead! Assemble this casserole in advance and keep it in the refrigerator overnight or wrapped tightly in the freezer until ready to bake. You can freeze the casserole before baking for up to three months.
• Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the pasta in a small (about 1 quart) casserole dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

If you love cheese, then I know that you’ll love this Taco Pasta too! It’s the creamiest, cheesiest, and easiest dinner that you’ve had in a long time!

More easy taco recipes that you might enjoy:

• Doritos Taco Salad
• Taco Stuffed Potatoes
• Easy Taco Casserole
• Easy Taco Soup
• 5-Ingredient Taco Biscuit Cups

Taco Pasta

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total: 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 - 6 servings

Calories 524 kcal

Two dinnertime favorites come together in one dish for this Mexican twist on the classic mac and cheese -- an easy Taco Pasta!

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups (about 5.3 ounces) uncooked medium shells pasta
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, NOT diluted
• 8 ounces diced Velveeta cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in the taco sauce, soup, and Velveeta cheese; heat through.
• Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. Transfer to a greased 11-in x 7-in baking dish.
• Sprinkle with shredded Mexican cheese.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Notes

• Make chicken taco pasta by substituting ground chicken in this recipe or by using shredded chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken
• If you don't have shells pasta, you can substitute with another similar short pasta shape -- such as penne!
• Prep ahead! Assemble this casserole in advance and keep it in the refrigerator overnight or wrapped tightly in the freezer until ready to bake. You can freeze the casserole before baking for up to three months.
• Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the pasta in a small (about 1 quart) casserole dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

Keyword: Ground Beef Recipe, taco casserole, taco pasta

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Blair Lonergan

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Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

This recipe was originally published in April, 2014. The photos were updated in January, 2018.