Taco Pasta
Taco Pasta is creamy, spicy and an easy Italian meets Mexican dinner. I love making this pasta when I want the whole family to be happy. A great recipe with simple ingredients for those busy weeknights full o taco flavor in a nice creamy sauce.
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EASY TACO PASTA RECIPE
Lately it’s been an all out drag down fight to get my kids to eat dinner.
I gave up. I told my husband, “I think I’m boycotting cooking dinner this week.”
But then I made this pasta. Two of my kid’s favorite things in one dinner. Sure to be a hit. It’s like a Mexican version of Hamburger Helper with all the taco flavors.
The other tip for success is to make sure your kids are starving. Or if you don’t have kids make sure your husband is starving.
Usually as I’m making dinner, the kids are ambushing the refrigerator without me looking (no wonder they never eat). But this time my husband had them outside in the hot tub for a pre-dinner swim.
Dinner was silent. Everyone was busy eating. It was fabulous. And my barely two-year-old ate more than my husband and I put together. My oldest son said that the shell pasta looked and tasted like miniature tacos. You can use any small pasta though.
This meal comes together really quickly and doesn’t require the oven so it doesn’t heat up your house. A-hem. Parents 1 – Minions 3.
This easy recipe is versatile and a great way to switch up taco night. You can use any type of pasta here really and bulk it up with a can of black beans or sprinkle it with your favorite taco toppings.
OTHER TACO RECIPES:
- Taco Salad Pasta
- Taco Lasagna
- Walking Tacos
- Taco Pizza Rolls
- Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Taco Party Bread
- Easy Taco Pasta Casserole
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or any other short pasta shapes, (about 3-4 cups dry)
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 (14 ounces) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning, (4 tablespoons)
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin. Add the cooked pasta a little at a time to the ground beef mixture. You may not need all of it. Stir to coat.
- Toss in the fresh cilantro right before serving for some fresh color and flavor. Serve with a green salad.
Notes
Made this with pre seasoned ground turkey…AMAZING!
Can this be served hot or cold? Looks delicious! If it’s good cold, it would be a great make a head meal or salad.
This one is served hot but I have not tried it cold.
Delicious! Made a small amount for one and used jalapeño cream cheese. The cilantro made all the difference.
Ooh sounds amazing.
Made this tonight for dinner. Easy to make while the pasta is cooking. My husband loved it, even had seconds. Definitely adding to my monthly rotation.
Thank you Emme! That makes me happy!
This was so easy to make and sooooo good! Highly recommend
how much water did you use. it says to add reserved pasta water but not how much
never mind found it
I made this for me and my picky boys one evening and we absolutely loved it! Have been following you and using your recipes for years now and I finally drop a comment. This has become one of our favorites….thanks!!
Thank you Glenda.I’m glad they approved!
no comment at this time.
I’ve been making this for years, my favorite recipe of yours!
Aww thanks!
This is one of our all-time favorite recipes! Any chance you’ve made it in an Instant Pot?
I got brave and tried it myself! Here’s how I made it in the Instant Pot:
* Set Instant Pot to Saute and add about a tablespoon of oil (I used olive). When it is heated, add diced onion and saute until it starts to soften.
* Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain grease if needed (I only had very lean beef, so it wasn’t necessary, but ordinarily I would). Turn off the Instant Pot.
* Add taco seasoning, a tsp of garlic powder (I’m sure you could use fresh and just saute it a minute or two with the meat. I just didn’t have any), 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and about a Tbsp or two of tomato sauce from an 8oz can. Mix ingredients well.
* Add uncooked pasta (I only had bowtie available) on top of the meat mixture. Don’t stir.
* Add the rest of the 8oz can tomato sauce, 14oz can undrained diced tomatoes (with chilies for spicier dish, but we typically just use diced tomatoes), and 3 cups water. Don’t stir.
* Put the lid on the pot, set it to Seal. Select Manual (make sure it is on High) for 5-6 minutes (I did 5, checked it, and added another minute).
* Quick release pressure, remove the lid, and add the 3oz cream cheese (cut in smaller cubes), and 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir until cheese is melted. Add cilantro if using.
There ya go! So, so easy! Not that the original way was hard haha, but nice to be able to have all the mess in one pot and feel like I can walk away for a bit. I was worried it was going to taste too tomato-y with the tomato sauce and definitely without green chilies, but it turned out great and was still the taco pasta we love! Thanks for the original recipe. 🙂
Thanks for testing this out and for the detailed instructions.
No but people have done it in the comments.
Wasn’t what I expected…
What were you expecting?
Good question!
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate yoou writing this article and the rest
of the site is also really good.
Hello! I’ve been reading your website for a lonjg time now and
finally got the courage to go ahbead andd give you a shout out
from Huffman Texas! Just wanted to tell you
keep up thhe good work!
Thank you!
Just made this for the first time. Think it just might replace boring old tacos on Taco Tuesdays. Think I might add a little shredded cheese and black olives on top. Thanks.
Ooh that would be great!
Do you drain the meat after browning? Or do you keep all the juices in? This is making me soooo hungry! haha
I always drain the meat.
Found this recipe on Pinterest and loved it immediately. Made a giant pot for a family picnic and practically had to pry the empty pot out of their hands so they wouldn’t lick it clean. Thanks a bunch
Haha. Love hearing that!
You are an excellent writer, typist, and blogger (assuming you do your own work). Your recipes are as delicious as they are easy to make! This is an incredible combination. I made this for my soon-to-be wife and added some cheap canned nacho cheese. She; well. Lets keep this food chat clean ;).
I truly wish you the best,
Jake K.
Oh geez Jake. Haha. Glad to know it went over well. Yep. I do everything here!
Made this tonight for my family which includes a couple of picky minions. Happy to say that they both loved it! I used Rotel and forgot to drain it so I just left the pasta water out. It still turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
I think Rotel would be perfect. Glad your minions liked it too!
Hi Christy, I finally wanted to drop you a note in regards to the Taco Pasta recipe – ever since I saw it on your blog and made it for the first time, it has been a staple in our rotation. It is absolutely addicting. Now, I am a huge Cooking Light fan and therefore can’t leave any recipe alone: I use Neufchatel cream cheese and reduce the sour cream to a 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup of 1% milk. The dish remains very creamy and oh-so yummy but I feel I lightened it up a little bit. I also mix the ground beef with ground pork (about half and half) 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing – this one is a family favorite!
Susanne
Susanne,
Thank you so much. I’m sure we all need it lightened up a bit and I want to try it your way soon.
This was so good, and easy to make! Hubby and I devoured it, I followed the recipe exactly but added some corn, and served it with diced fresh jalapeños, shredded mexican cheese, and tortilla chips that we crushed on top! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I made this into a vegan dish using veggie ground and tofutti sour cream and cream cheese. Absolutely fantastic!!
This was so good! I made it 3 days ago and me and my man are STILL enjoying leftovers.. YUM!
I loved this! I made my own taco seasoning and instead of diced tomatoes I did tomato paste. It tasted just like the Hamburger Helper that my husband loves without all the nasty preservatives. This will totally be a repeat recipe! 🙂
Wow, just made this for dinner and everyone just loved it! Followed it to a t. I will make this again, esp good for a week night dinner.
Hi there! I stumbled upon your website today and love your recipes!!! You really have a ton of great ideas…i pinned a handful today and cant wait to try this one!!! Yum!!!
Thanks!
Melissa
Welcome!
@heather,
I definitely think the tomato adds flavor. I can’t think of anything else to substitute….
So, I love pasta, ground beef, and anything taco but despise anything tomato. How do you think it would taste if I subtracted that from the recipe?
Making this tonight. Can’t wait! 🙂
@Majal,
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
I just have to leave a comment..i made it just now and im telling you its delish…yummm…thanks for sharing 🙂
I have a couple of picky eaters in my family as well. I have made this a couple of times already and it’s on the menu this week as well. I’ve adapted it based on what I have on hand as well as leaving out the chiles, as I know they won’t eat those. It’s a hit with the whole family! Thanks for sharing!
@Anonymous,
Sorry you didn’t like it. Did you use tomatoes with chilies like the recipe calls for. With a little spice it tastes great but you can make it mild for kids.
i had high hopes for this based on everyones comments. but this was the blandest dish i have ever had in my life. had to put ketchup on it to choke it down.
OMG Yummy is what I would call this recipe. Great recipe I will definately be adding this to the recipe weekly list.
That was really good! Good for 2 for 2 meals even!
I had such high hopes for this recipe, since so many people said their kids loved it and devoured it. My son loves tacos, so I thought he would love it! Not so much. It was really delicious, and my husband and I definitely enjoyed it, but the kids wouldn’t eat more than a bite. Oh well.
Agreed! My husband and I tolerated it. Reminded me of Hamburger Helper meals I used to make when I was first on my own (as well as married the first time). Won’t make this unless I’m out of ideas for meal planning.
Just made this tonight for dinner without the green chilli’s and stirred in some tortilla strips for some crunch. My 4 and 2 year old daughters ate it up without complaint – which is a BIG thing because they are pretty picky eaters. Thanks for helping me add to my small list of menu items that I make often.
Just made this! I didn’t have any sour cream or cream cheese but did have that new Philadelphia Cooking Cream. YUM! Thanks1
@luckymommy,
Whenever I make pasta I always try to make a salad along side it. Either Caesar or just whatever I have.
what did you serve with it? or did most of you just serve it alone?
This is a great taco pasta recipe! This would be a great meal for special events like catering Fort Lauderdale or even simple dinners at home. Thanks for sharing.
I do not have kids, but I do have a boyfriend who loves all things taco. Made this for dinner tonight and it was very easy and definitely did not disappoint! I used fat free sour cream and low fat cream cheese. I topped it with some crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese and black olives when serving.
I found you off the Once a month mom web page. Just getting started with freezer meals and this was on one of their menus! Just finished cooking it. My kids aren’t picky (please don’t hit me!) so it wasn’t a surprise it was eaten! I put the chiles in it as my 4 yo loves spicy food. I forgot to drain my tomatoes tho, so had to boil it for awhile and I didn’t add pasta water. Made a triple batch, one for dinner and two for the freezer! Thanks so much for your blog! Your desserts look dangerous!
What changes (if any) did you make to freeze them?
Just made this with rotini pasta…..it was really very good! I will add to my recipe collection. It was so easy to make! Thanks for posting!
Joanne
I made this tonight and it was excellent! I added extra cream cheese and corn.
This is fantastic! I made it with extra lean grd turkey. Used as close to fat free ingredients as I could get. I also skipped the pasta. Its great in lettuce wraps for those of us (with no children yet!) always on the weight loss wagon!
Just made this tonight, our family loved it. Thank you for sharing!
we had this tonight. so easy! and we all really liked it. score! 🙂 thanks.
Delicious! I added a can of black beans too, and it was awesome. My daughter loved it too. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for a quick, yummy recipe!
This was awesome! Better than I thought it would be (it’s so simple – but tastes so rich and delish!). All three of my PICKY boys ate it, and my hubby, too. It’s a keeper – thanks for sharing! You are the best ❤
Yum! I just made this for my husband and I, and it is absolutely delicious! I made a few modifications to it, such as when I cooked the ground beef I added a zucchini puree (one whole small zucchini) and 1/2 c. each diced (super fine) carrots and celery. We’re trying to up our veg intake at our house. Well, I am. And hopefully what my hubs don’t know… will only make him healthier? He’s pickier than most small children, but he absolutely loved this! I also only used reduced fat or fat free dairy in this. We’ll definitely be making this again!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! Thanks so much for the great idea! 🙂
@Kirsten,
Thanks Kirsten for the thumbs up! I love that it is so fast and I agree, definitely not just for kids.
I never comment on blogs, but I wanted everyone to know that this dish isn’t just for kids. It’s just me and my husband here and we both really liked it! I especially liked that it literally only took about 20 minutes to make. Perfect after a long work week! And it looks like it will warm up great, too.
I saw this on Pinterest and made it last night. Instead of taco seasoning I swapped cumin, chili powder and paprika, and instead of cilantro I used sliced green onions. It was really good, and the leftovers were even better! Thanks.a
I made this the other night and it was a huge hit! thank you 🙂
I made this tonight with a few minor adjustments. When blending in the cream cheese and the sour cream I added a dash of taco sauce. And right at the end, I sprinkled mexican cheese on it and mixed it throughout.
There is not a drop left! I’m definitely going to have to make this again.
Taco pastas are so quick and easy and they always hit the spot!
I just popped over from bluebird notes & there are plenty of things for me to get making! Thank you for sharing your recipes with all us Mamas 🙂 Looks like we will eat well tonight! Glad to have found you!
I made this tonight and it turned out great!! I have never been very successful in the kitchen, but ever since I stumbled upon this blog, every recipe of yours that I make turns out great!!! Thanks a ton!
This is definitely going to be my dinner tomorrow night. The kids will love it! And it looks super fast which will be great with school back up and sports practices running again.
Made this yummy dish tonight and it was incredible! Huge hit in our house. Thanks for the great recipe.
I made this last night with one minor change I did a plain can of diced tomatoes as I wasn’t sure how much heat the other kind would be and we have a 3 year old and a 10 month old. It was perfect. I will try it the right way next time as there will be a next time. And my 3 year old loved helping me make this dinner.
Made this tonight for my picky five year old and it was a big hit!
Awesome! I am definatley going to try this! Thanks so much for the quick & easy recipe! 🙂
Michelle
mealplanningworkingmom.blogspot.com
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it. My 9yo is gobbling it down (and I deliberately didn’t tell her there were chiles in the dish!) and I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Is it weird that I’m 25 and totally craving this dish? It looks soo good!
Glad I am not the only one loosing the kitchen battle against the minions. This is a huge victory! I think this would score me a win.
Can’t wait to try this!!
Yum!
No jokes, i just stared at this and thought ‘when is the soonest i can make this a reality?’ It looks so comfortingly delicious! Im not surprised it was a winner with the fam 🙂
This looks AWESOME! I’ve made stuffed taco shells out of Jumbo shells before but this looks way easier 🙂 I’ll be trying it (and blogging about it) in the future!!!
Blogfoodbetter.blogspot.com
What a great & easy recipe. I’ll have to try it out soon!
I’m such a big fan of taco flavoured things! Great recipe!
This recipe sounds and looks tasty!
It seems to cover a little bit for all, perfect!
Thanks for another good idea! =)
What a great kid friendly meal!
This looks promising! My barely two-year-old has been on a eating strike lately too. She gave up even on her favourite hot-dogs and baked beans on toast. Can’t wait to try this!
PS. Does it work without the trip to the hot tub
This is such a great idea! It’s going in my recipe book!
This looks great, I can’t wait to try it out. I totally agree that making sure your kids are starving makes a big difference, haha! Hopefully my “minions” won’t win this time with taco pasta 🙂
Just fell onto your blog and love it! I needed new inspiration while preparing my weekly menu and found so many wonderful recipes on here! I look forward to making some this week!!
I made this from Fake Ginger too and I think my kids licked the bowl clean! 🙂