Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (2024)

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posted by Christy Denneyon Aug 29, 2022 (updated Sep 14, 2023) 117 comments »

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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.

Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (1)

EASY TACO PASTA RECIPE

Lately it’s been an all out drag down fight to get my kids to eat dinner.

The last three mealshave ended in a score ofParents 0 – Minions 3.

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.

Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (2)

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.

Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (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

Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (4)

Taco Pasta

4.69 from 29 votes

This Taco Pastais creamy, spicy and an easy Italian meets Mexican dinner. I love making this easy pasta dish that the entire family loves.. A great way to switch up Taco Tuesday.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or any other shortpasta 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

slightly adapted from Fake Ginger

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe, Calories: 369kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 117mg, Potassium: 399mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 326IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 2mg

Cuisine: Mexican

Course: Main Course

Author: Christy Denney

All Recipes Beef Cinco De Mayo Main Dishes Mexican Pasta Turkey

originally published on Aug 29, 2022 (last updated Sep 14, 2023)

117 comments Leave a comment »

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117 comments on “Taco Pasta”

  1. Kathy Reply

    I love your cookbook!

  2. Jen Reply

    Delicious! I was going to top mine with shredded cheddar, but the sauce is so good as is that I didn’t even need it. It was super easy to make too and I keep all the ingredients on hand so this will definitely be a regular dish!

    • Christy Denney Reply

      So glad you liked it!

  3. Kris Reply

    Super love it! Family loves it. This is a keeper for sure ❤️

    • Christy Denney Reply

      Aw thank you!

  4. B.Jones Reply

    Great recipe that doesnt call for velveeta but if you wanted to add it you could. I used penne. Looking forward to lunches with the left overs since those lil thick noodles absorb everything

    • Christy Denney Reply

      Thank you!

  5. Jen Reply

    Do you have calorie count and nutrition info for this recipe?

    • Christy Denney Reply

      I will add it now.

      • Shawn Reply

        In the nutrition section it says 1 serving is 1g? Im assuming incorrect. What would be the correct amount? Thank you

        • Christy Denney Reply

          that is a bug in the recipe card. It’s 1/6th of the recipe.

  6. Kim Hill Reply

    We really enjoyed this. I had a lot of leftover taco meat from an event, so used it to make this. The only change I made was to add about 4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese.

    • Christy Denney Reply

      So glad you liked it!

  7. Kevin Reply

    I added a can of black beans, it was amazing. Everyone loved it

    • Christy Denney Reply

      Yay!

Leave a comment »

Easy Taco Pasta Recipe - The Girl Who Ate Everything (2024)

FAQs

What sauce is used for pasta? ›

There are tomato-based sauces, such as the classic spaghetti sauce or marinara; there are heavier, cream-based sauces; there are wine-based sauces; and there are oil-based sauces like pesto or aglio e olio.

How to jazz up boring pasta? ›

Simply cook chopped garlic cloves in a bit of warm olive oil (not hot!), and add cooked spaghetti (reserve some of the cooking water to add later if necessary). Stir to combine and finish off with a handful of fresh chopped parsley, and grated parmesan cheese. Easy peasy and so delicious!

What is the number one pasta in the world? ›

Spaghetti is the most popular of all the pasta types. It is the favorite of many, especially kids. Indeed, this is one of the most frequently cooked pasta worldwide. It is also usually available in most restaurants.

What is the rarest pasta dish? ›

Su filindeu—literally “threads of God” in Sardo—is unfathomably intricate. It's made by only three women on Earth, all of whom live on Sardinia. And they make it only for the biannual Feast of San Francesco. It's been this way for the last 200 years.

Is marinara sauce the same as spaghetti sauce? ›

This is also why folks often use the terms marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce as one in the same. They are similar, spaghetti sauce is essentially a version of a marinara sauce. Spaghetti sauce usually contains added ingredients such as ground beef to make a bolognese sauce.

What pasta holds the most sauce? ›

Slightly wider than spaghetti, tagliatelle holds the sauce better. That said, Bolognese is equally good with ziti, fusilli or lasagne, thick pastas that can absorb the sauce without getting mushy. The same pasta choices work for other thick, meaty sauces, too.

Do you put pasta in sauce or sauce in pasta? ›

First, in authentic Italian cuisine, the sauce is always tossed with the pasta before it ever hits the plate. Just before the sauce is done cooking, the hot pasta is added to the saucepan. Generally speaking, we recommend cooking the pasta in the sauce together for about 1-2 minutes.

How do you pimp up pasta? ›

Garnish your pasta with a grating of lemon zest, some crunchy breadcrumbs or even a crumble of crispy bacon to add texture and taste. Herb it up. Experiment with lots of fresh herbs in your pasta dishes.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

5 Things We Never Do When Making Pasta
  1. Use a small pot to boil the pasta.
  2. Neglect to salt the water.
  3. Forget to give the pasta a stir or two as it cooks.
  4. Cook it past al dente.
  5. Dump out all of the pasta water.
May 1, 2019

What seasoning is good in pasta? ›

These delicious flavorings will bring beneficial plant compounds to your meal.
  • Basil. Basil is a flavorful herb and a mainstay in many Italian dishes, including pasta. ...
  • Oregano. Oregano is a culinary herb known for its peppery and pungent taste. ...
  • Rosemary. ...
  • Red pepper flakes. ...
  • Garlic powder.
Apr 11, 2022

What are the tiny pasta balls called? ›

Acini di pepe – an extremely small, round pasta shape – translates to peppercorn, or seeds of pepper. It comes from the Latin word acinus, meaning grape stones.

What is the twisted pasta called? ›

Fusilli and Rotini

Fusilli, which translates to "little spindles," is made by twisting strands of pasta into a spring-like shape. Rotini, which means "twists" or "spirals," is extruded into tighter twists.

What are the 4 main pasta dishes? ›

There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and alla Gricia. Each uses slightly different techniques and ingredients and has its own place in the canon of Italian food. Here is a brief breakdown of these iconic Italian pasta dishes. 1.

What is Italy's #1 pasta? ›

Barilla can't avoid a class-action lawsuit over allegedly deceptive advertising about the pasta's origins, a federal judge ruled this week. At issue is the brand's slogan “Italy's No. 1 brand of pasta,” which the lawsuit says can lead customers to believe it's actually made in Italy.

What is the most bought pasta? ›

Spaghetti is the world's most popular pasta shape by a considerable margin, but UK pasta lovers have more of an appetite for fusilli, with 19% of us all calling it our favourite shape to indulge in.

What is Italy's favorite pasta dish? ›

Carbonara. The Carbonara we know today is made by tossing spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork jowl), egg yolks, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Despite its simplicity, this dish remains one of Rome and the world's favourites.

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