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This Beef Taco Recipe is the perfect combination of two meals! This delicious pasta dish is super easy to make, comforting and perfect for weeknight dinner.
This Beef Taco Pasta makes a delicious and easy meal for your family anytime during the week. It only requires a few simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
We love easy pasta dishes, if you are after other delicious ideas, why not try my Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta or my Creamy Tortellini Chicken Pasta.
Why this Taco Pasta Recipe is so good!
- Packed with Mexican flavors. Taco seasoned beef, swimming in an addictive tomato salsa sauce – so good!
- An easy pasta recipe. With just a few staple ingredients, this dish is whipped up in less than 30 mins from pantry to table.
- Kid friendly. Golden pasta shells loaded with delicious seasoned beef, kids will love it!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Pasta Shells
- Lean Ground Beef
- Garlic
- Onion
- Salsa
- Taco Seasoning
- Pureed Tomato sauce
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Pasta Water
- Vegetable Oil
- Black Pepper
- Salt (optional)
How to make this Beef Taco Pasta Recipe
- Cook pasta al dente and save the pasta water.
- Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.
- In a skillet, heat some vegetable oil and sauté the onions until they are tender then add in the ground beef. Add the black pepper, minced garlic and taco seasoning. Cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Add in the pasta water, tomato pure sauce and the salsa. Let it simmer on low heat to cook well for 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the cooked pasta and mix to coat well. Cover to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the cheese and stir another time then cover and cook for another 2 minutes to melt the cheese. You can check if you need more salt at this point.
- Remove and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Recipe notes and tips
- If you don’t want to use beef, you can easily swap for ground chicken or turkey.
- Make sure to use a big nonstick skillet. With all the pasta, it won’t cook properly in a small pan.
- You can always add in some diced jalapeños or cayenne pepper to the recipe to spice it up.
- You can swap whole wheat pasta if you wish, just adjust the cooking time of the pasta accordingly.
- I used pasta shells for this recipe, they’re like little tacos! But you can use other pasta. I’d opt for pasta with nooks and crannies, like fussilli or penne, so it can catch all that delicious sauce!
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
You can indeed! Omit the meat. Add a can or two of black beans, or try adding pinto beans for variety.
Can I make this taco pasta recipe dairy free?
Sure thing. Omit the cheese. If you want the recipe to still be creamy, top the pasta with some diced avocado or prepared guacamole.
What toppings can a put on this Taco Pasta?
This Beef Taco Pasta is delicious on it’s own, but it’s even tastier with some toppings. Whatever you like on regular tacos will be great on this dish. Below are some favorites:
- freshly squeezed lime juice
- fresh cherry tomatoes
- ripe, thinly sliced avocado (or guacamole)
- fresh diced cilantro or green onions
- sour cream (low fat or fat free works well)
Other delicious pasta recipes
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Beef Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz pasta shells, uncooked
- 1 lb. ground beef, I used 90 % lean
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 oz. taco seasoning, Used I pack 45% less sodium Taco seasoning by Ortega
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 1 cup tomato sauce, pureed
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 cups pasta water
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. black pepper
- salt, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente and save the pasta water.
- Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.
- In a skillet, heat some vegetable oil and sauté the onions until they are tender then add in the ground beef. Add the black pepper, minced garlic and taco seasoning. Cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Add in the pasta water, tomato pure sauce and the salsa. Let it simmer on low heat to cook well for 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the cooked pasta and mix to coat well. Cover to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the cheese and stir another time then cover and cook for another 2 minutes to melt the cheese. You can check if you need more salt at this point.
- Remove and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you don’t want to use beef, you can easily swap for ground chicken or turkey.
- Make sure to use a big nonstick skillet. With all the pasta, it won’t cook properly in a small pan.
- You can always add in some diced jalapeños or cayenne pepper to the recipe to spice it up.
- You can swap whole wheat pasta if you wish, just adjust the cooking time of the pasta accordingly.
- I used pasta shells for this recipe, they’re like little tacos! But you can use other pasta. I’d opt for pasta with nooks and crannies, like fussilli or penne, so it can catch all that delicious sauce!
Such a good meal! We had almost all the ingredients to make tacos, but no actual taco shells. Then I saw this recipe and just had to go for it. My family absolutely loved it. Thank you!
Hi Jisela,
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you very much for leaving a review.
This recipe turned out amazing! Sometimes pasta recipes don’t turn out right, or taste bland but this one was excellent. It’s definitely going to become a recipe I keep in my back pocket, since it contains ingredients I always have in my kitchen.
I didn’t have salsa, so I substituted a more chunky tomato sauce and it still turned out fantastic.
I had to skip the cheese, but it was still wonderful!
Hi Jennifer!
Thank you so much for leaving a review and feedback on the recipe. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed it.
Great recipe. I topped with cheese and added some black olives and green onions.
Hi Susan!
Thank you so much for your review! Glad you enjoyed it!