Taco Pasta Recipe with taco-seasoned beef, tender pasta, sweet corn, and melty cheese all bubbling together in one pan.
author’s note
The 25-Minute Taco Pasta That Feeds the Whole Family!
I grew up eating Hamburger Helper, and while it’s still a nostalgic dinner for me, it doesn’t taste quite the way I remember. The ingredient list is also a little scary long, and there is often that artificial aftertaste I just don’t love anymore.
I wanted my kids to have that same comforting, nostalgic flavor I remember from childhood, but in a fresher and elevated way. So I got to work testing and perfecting my own copycat version. This Taco Pasta keeps everything I loved about the original: creamy sauce, hearty pasta, and cheesy goodness, but it skips the processed ingredients. It is simple, flavorful, and comes together in one pan with ingredients I always have on hand.
The best part is my kids love it just as much as I did growing up, and I feel good about serving it.
Ingredients In Taco Pasta Recipe
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Ground beef | Swap with ground turkey or chicken. For turkey, add extra salt or a pinch of beef bouillon for depth. |
| Onion & garlic | Fresh is best, but onion powder and garlic powder will work in a pinch. |
| Taco seasoning | Homemade or store-bought both work. Add chili powder or cayenne for more heat. |
| Pasta | I use elbow macaroni, but shells or rotini hold the sauce well too. Choose a pasta with a similar cooking time. |
| Cheese | Freshly shredded Mexican blend or sharp cheddar melts smoother than pre-shredded. Pepper Jack adds a spicy kick. |
Quick Tip
Use a large nonstick skillet to cook this dish. A small pan won’t fit all the ingredients, and a nonstick surface prevents pasta from sticking and burning.
How To Make Taco Pasta Recipe
- Brown the Beef: Cook lean ground beef in a skillet until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Cook onion and minced garlic until fragrant.
- Add Seasonings: Stir in taco seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.
- Combine Ingredients: Add water, salsa, corn, pasta, taco sauce, and cooked beef.
- Simmer: Boil, then cover and simmer. Add remaining water; cook until pasta is tender.
- Add Cheese: Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Serve with toppings.
Featured Comment
“I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always a hit! Instead of buying a packet of taco seasoning, I use your recipe. It’s so much better and cheaper, too! I love the fact that I don’t have to cook the pasta separately, one less pan to wash! It reheats beautifully, too! Chelsea, your recipes are the BEST!!!”
– Donna
Storage
- Store leftover Taco Pasta Recipe in an sealed container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- For longer storage, freeze in a container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat thoroughly before serving.
More Easy Dinner Recipes:
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- Beef Tacos ready in 30 minutes or less!
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- Chicken Stir Fry ready in 30 minutes or less!
Taco Pasta Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large pan nonstick
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1/2 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 packet taco seasoning see note 1
- 2 cups water divided
- 1 cup mild salsa see note 2
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups elbow pasta 10 ounces
- 1 cup mild taco sauce
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend or sharp cheddar cheese
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large nonstick pan. Transfer the beef to a plate and drain the fat. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Stir until fragrant—about 30 seconds to a minute on medium-high heat. Add taco seasoning and stir for 30 more seconds.
- Add in 1 cup water, salsa, and corn. Stir well and add uncooked pasta, taco sauce, and reserved cooked beef.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then lower to medium-low heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let simmer about 5–7 minutes, then add the last cup of water and stir everything together again. Return lid and let simmer until pasta is tender, about another 5–7 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and stir it into the pasta until melted. Top taco pasta with your toppings of choice. I love avocado, sour cream, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cilantro or green onions. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m sure this is super tasty, but please please please don’t call it taco, this has nothing to do with tacos. The whole taco idea is around a tortilla with food inside
This was super easy to make and my whole family loved it! It’s full of flavor and very satisfying. So many online recipes are either too complicated or too bland. This is definitely going to be a weeknight meal staple in my house. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Yay! So thrilled to hear that! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and review 🙂 Hope you love whatever you try next!
At first glance, I did think it was hamburger helper. But then I thought, no it looks too good to be that! I love one pan meals, they are a close second to slow cooker recipes.
Haha!! Thanks Deb; hope you love this 🙂
I’ve made this over and over and over again! It’s my go to easy meal for when I just do not feel like cooking or doing dishes. Freezes well to reheat for lunches later on and I always 1.5x the recipe so I have lots of it – and because normally when I freeze my ground beef I freeze more than a pound together, so I don’t have to figure out what to do with the ground beef. I do find I have to add a little more water to the pan to cook the noodles but otherwise the recipe is perfect. One of the best skillets!
Ahhh I am seriously sooo happy to hear this!! Thanks for the tips on freezing and recommendations! And thanks for your kind comment! 🙂
Hey! I would love to thank you for this wonderful recipe. Thank you so much , I will try it with my daughter. My daughter loves you and we always follow you thanks
Thanks so much Jackson! 🙂 So happy to hear that; it makes my day!
I have made this several times, this last time with venison. It is absolutely delicious and the fewer pots I have to dirty the better! Thank you!!!
So happy to hear it!! Thanks so much for the comment Suzanne 🙂
I make this all the time. Found it last year and it’s been a favourite in our house. Tonight I’m trying it with chicken as I had some leftover. Can’t wait for dinner.
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for the comment Kim 🙂
Been making this for about a year. I have this page bookmarked on my phone for every time I make it. My fiancé loves it. We call it taco mac. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I love hearing that! Thanks so much for the comment Morgan 🙂
Oh. My. Gosh!!! This was the first meal in a very long time I went back for seconds! Thank you for a delicious, quick dinner! Side note: vegetarian Boca meat and water instead of taco sauce is still unbelievably delicious. ?
LOVE hearing this! Thank you so much for your comment Liz 🙂
I found this recipe on Pinterest, and usually I don’t have luck with Pinterest recipes, but this came out pretty damn good. Boyfriend loved it and he’s a picky eater, we both had seconds. I followed the recipe exactly as written and have enough left-overs for another meal for the two of us. Can this be frozen for another day?
I’m so happy you enjoyed this dish! I’ve never tried freezing it, so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Wish I could be of more help!