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Beef taco pasta skillet recipe is the best one pot recipe. You are going to love this taco pasta easy recipe. It combines all the flavors of ground beef and salsa mixed together with pasta. The entire family will love this tasty meal that is incredibly simple!

Close up image of taco pasta  in a saucepan.
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One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe:

Not only is this one pot taco pasta easy but it is also delicious. The pasta is so filling and the skillet has the best flavor. My family loves one pot meals. There are less dishes to clean up and everything can be cooked quickly.

I am a big fan of quick and easy meals and this does not disappoint. This meal is so tasty all by itself. However, sometimes I add a simple side salad. I have even just cut up veggies such as cucumbers and carrots and served a few raw veggies on the side.

If you have a few extra minutes, try this Quick Salsa Verde De Tomatillo Recipe. I like to put out a bowl of this salsa verde and a basket of tortilla chips. The kids love having this while they wait for dinner.

Close up image of taco pasta on a wooden spoon.

One pot cheesy taco pasta is budget friendly!

This meal is not only delicious and simple but very easy on the budget. The pasta really stretches the meat and makes the meal go a long ways.

Since the ingredients are so simple, I usually have all the ingredients to make this meal. This has been my go-to meal when I need something quick when we are busy with practice and homework.

You could even add more pasta to stretch this meal even further. If you have unexpected dinner guests or your kids have friends over, try that trick!

You could even substitute rice for the pasta! Having the rice instead of the pasta almost makes like a taco bowl.

Close up image of taco pasta in a sauce pan.

Tips for making Taco pasta shells:

I use a small food chopper or processor to quickly and easily chop the onion and green pepper. If you do not have one of these, I highly recommend them. They are such a time saver.

I usually just chop the entire vegetable and freeze what I don’t need. It’s so nice to be able to just take diced onion or bell peppers out of the freezer for recipes.

We also make our own homemade taco seasoning. It is so much better than store bought taco seasoning. I like to keep a big batch of it and it’s ready when I need it.

Taco Pasta Toppings:

Top this yummy meal with whatever you normally top your favorite taco with! Here are some of our favorite toppings:

  • Sour Cream
  • Cheese
  • Green Onion
  • Salsa
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Black Olives
  • Chopped Tomatoes
  • Cilantro
  • Crush up some tortillas

Make this dish your own. Each of my family members top it with different toppings. I like to set out different bowls of toppings. Everyone can choose what they like and it’s so easy.

Close up image of taco pasta in a saucepan with a wooden spoon.

Let’s make Cheesy taco pasta recipe!

You are going to love this cheesy and delicious recipe. It is literally one of those recipes everyone will be asking for seconds and fighting over who gets the last bowl!

It is so good. The flavor is amazing. The ground beef makes it hearty and the pasta is so filling.

Close up image of ingredients for taco pasta.

Ingredients:

  • Ground beef – I like using lean ground beef but you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken in this recipe.
  • Onion
  • Minced garlic
  • Taco seasoning – I use my homemade taco seasoning.
  • Salsa – Any type of salsa will do. You can use the jar salsa or the salsa you find in the produce section. But I love making my own salsa.
  • Beef broth
  • Tomato sauce
  • Pasta shells – Any medium size shells will work. You can also use Penne, large shells, or ziti pasta.
  • Salt and Pepper

How to make taco pasta recipe:

  • First start browning the beef, ½ cup of onion and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
Close up image of hamburger meat with onions in a saucepan.
  • Add in the taco seasoning, the salsa, tomato sauce, the beef broth and the pasta shells.
  • Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Close up image of taco pasta in a saucepan in process.
  • Cover and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally 20 minutes or until cooked pasta is tender or al dente.
  • Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese.
  • Top with diced tomatoes, sour cream or any other taco toppings you would like.
  • Dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.

Tips for the best Skillet Taco Pasta:

  • If you like a spicer flavor, you can add in cayenne pepper or green chilies to the skillet. I also have mixed in some pepper jack cheese.
  • This one pot skillet recipe is customizable. You can add in corn, beans or leave out the onions. I try and make it kid friendly. You can even put the beans on the side and you add them to the top.
  • You can add in some additional seasoning such as chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.

Use ingredients that you have on hand to make this recipe your own and one that you know your family will love.

Close up image of taco pasta on a wooden spoon.

Homemade Taco Hamburger Helper:

Taco pasta casserole is a hit with everyone! This recipe is comfort food at it’s best.  It truly is the perfect weeknight dinner. Taco pasta skillet is similar to hamburger helper but SO much better.

You will discover that this recipe taste so much better and easier to make than the box hamburger helper. This meal is pretty amazing. I must admit though, I like it even better because I only have one pot to clean. It’s also pretty nice to have a meal that all the kids like.

It’s so refreshing to have a meal that can be cooked with rave reviews by everyone. Plus my teenagers have learned to put this meal together. They can help make it before you get home from work.

Print Taco pasta recipe below:

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One Pot Beef Taco Pasta Skillet Recipe

5 from 22 votes
Beef taco pasta skillet recipe is comfort food at its best. Try this easy taco pasta recipe. Taco pasta skillet is so quick. Try cheesy taco pasta recipe.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American, Mexican
Course Dinner, Main Course
Calories 380

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet or stock pan. Drain off any excess grease.
  • Then stir in the taco seasoning, salsa, tomato sauce, beef broth and pasta shells.
  • Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally for approximately 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
  • Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.

Recipe Notes

*Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5-7 days. 
*I love using pasta shells for this recipe but rotini or penne pasta would work great in this recipe too! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 380kcal, Carbohydrates 23g, Protein 23g, Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 73mg, Sodium 1063mg, Potassium 594mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 5g, Vitamin A 659IU, Vitamin C 5mg, Calcium 181mg, Iron 3mg

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Beef taco pasta skillet recipe is comfort food at its best. Try this easy one pot taco pasta recipe. Taco pasta skillet is so quick and easy. Try cheesy taco pasta recipe. It’s the easiest weeknight dinner recipe.  #eatingonadime #skilletrecipes #onpotrecipes #beefrecipes

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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  1. 5 stars
    Oh my word!!! This is fantastic! I used rotini because I didn’t have shells and I added extra chicken broth and pasta. This was super easy and everyone loved it. I am definitely adding this recipe to our favourites!

  2. 5 stars
    Oh my word!!! This is fantastic! I used rotini because I didn’t have shells and I added extra chicken broth and pasta. This was super easy and everyone loved it. I am definitely adding this recipe to our favourites!

  3. 5 stars
    This one is a keeper! It’s in our meal rotation. I make with ground turkey and use water with beef better than bouillon. Can add different toppings too!

  4. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and my husband raved and raved over it. I added some black beans and corn to the recipe. It was so good and made enough for leftovers. Will be making this again soon!

  5. 5 stars
    Hubby says it is a ‘make again.’ Thanks for the fantastic recipe. I used medium salsa and added corn. Next time I will cut back to 1 lb burger and add a can of beans.