Description
Taco Pasta is a flavorful and creamy one-pot meal combining ground beef, taco seasoning, cheeses, and pasta shells in a rich tomato and broth sauce. Easy to make and perfect for a comforting dinner, this recipe offers plenty of sauce with cheesy goodness and options for ingredient substitutions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cheeses
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes (equal to 1/3 cup) or 3/4 cup shredded cheese as substitute
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 oz. packet Taco seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 cup Whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1/2 lb. Medium pasta shells
Instructions
- Prepare Cheese: Shred the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses from a block and set aside. It should be near room temperature when added to the pasta sauce for best melting.
- Cook Beef: In a high-walled pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until browned. Drain the grease thoroughly.
- Sauté Garlic: Melt the butter in the same pot and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring to avoid burning.
- Add Ingredients: Add the taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, chicken broth, whole milk, and undrained Rotel tomatoes. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Boil and Add Pasta: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Submerge the pasta shells fully in the liquid, then cover the pot. Cook according to package instructions (usually about 10-12 minutes) stirring halfway through by sliding a silicone spatula along the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Check Pasta Doneness: Remove the cover and test a noodle for doneness. If not fully cooked, cover and continue to cook until desired tenderness is reached.
- Add Cheese: Turn the heat to low and gradually stir in the cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Velveeta cheeses until fully melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve: The sauce will thicken as it stands and the pasta will absorb more flavor. Serve once the desired consistency is reached.
Notes
- This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce; feel free to increase pasta quantity beyond ½ lb. if you prefer less sauce.
- You can use all chicken broth or all beef broth instead of a mixture.
- For creamiest cheese sauce, shred cheese from blocks rather than using pre-shredded bagged cheese, which doesn’t melt as well.
- Other pasta types such as rotini, penne, or bow tie pasta can be used; adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Diced or shredded chicken can substitute ground beef if added at the end to avoid toughness from boiling.
- Optional additions include corn, bell peppers, black beans, or jalapeños for extra flavor and texture.
- Try the Chicken Fajita Pasta recipe as another tasty variation.
- This recipe is featured in The Cozy Cookbook on page 160.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
