Try making Taco Pasta for taco night for a fun twist on a classic meal! It’s cheesy, flavorful, and so easy to make. You can enjoy this easy pasta dish on a busy weeknight or a laid-back weekend.
One Pot Taco Pasta
No matter what, easy dinners will always be my favorite. I love to cook but as a mom, sometimes you need to take the easy way out. One-pot meals like this taco pasta in the slow cooker are a hit in my house. It tastes like a homemade meal that took hours to make when in reality, it only takes a few minutes of prep. I like to serve my family delicious food but I don’t want to put in a lot of work in the kitchen every single day – especially after a long day of work.
That being said, we love this taco pasta recipe in my house. It’s a tasty spin on tacos that I like to make every so often to switch things up. It’s kid-friendly and makes great leftovers, too!
Another cooking method is making our Instant Pot Taco Pasta or try our Taco Pasta Salad!
Ingredients You’ll Need For Cheesy Taco Pasta
Cheap meals with ingredients I already have on hand are amazing. This is all you need to achieve this super simple dump dinner!
- Ground Beef: I like to use 80% lean.
- Beef Broth
- Medium Shells
- Salsa: Use whatever flavor and heat level you like.
- Frozen Corn
- Black Beans: Drain and rinse before adding.
- Red Bell Pepper: Chopped into small pieces.
- Taco Seasoning: Use one packet or use this Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Cheddar Cheese: Shred it yourself or purchase a pre-shredded package.
- Scallions: Sliced for garnish.
- Sour Cream
- Tomatoes: Include your favorite variety of diced tomatoes for a fresh garnish.
How to Make Taco Pasta in the Slow Cooker
Besides browning the ground beef, there is no additional cooking with this taco pasta recipe. All of the ingredients come together in the slow cooker.
- Step 1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add your ground beef. Cook until browned (no longer pink) and then drain the excess fat. Pour it into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Step 2. Pour in the beef broth. Next, add the salsa, frozen corn, black beans, bell pepper, and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- Step 4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Step 5. Add the uncooked pasta 30 minutes before it finishes and stir to make sure it is all submerged in the broth.
- Step 6. Cook for the remaining 30 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
- Step 7. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese and top with the remaining cup/
- Step 8. Serve with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Pasta – You can swap the shells for any short pasta. Elbow macaroni, rotini, and bowties are all wonderful alternatives.
- Beef – Ground turkey or chicken works well in this recipe, too. Just use chicken broth instead of beef. Want to make it vegetarian? Omit the meat and add an extra can of beans.
- Beans – Use pinto beans instead of black beans.
- Veggies – Any color of bell pepper can be used, including green.
- Seasoning – The taco seasoning can be mild, original, or hot.
- Spice – Add green chiles or chopped jalapenos for a kick.
- Cheese – Substitute the shredded cheddar cheese for any kind you like. I recommend pepperjack or monterey jack cheese, but you can also use fiesta blend or Monterey jack.
- Toppings – Here are some more topping ideas; hot sauce, diced red onion, freshly chopped cilantro, and avocado.
- Cooking – Cook on high for 2-3 hours instead of on low. This recipe can also be made on stove-top using a dutch oven.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover taco pasta in an airtight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, scoop a portion into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Easy Pizza Pasta Bake
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- One Pot Chicken Parm Pasta
- Meatball Pasta Bake
More Taco Recipes to Try, Too!
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces shell pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cups beef broth
- 16 ounces salsa
- 10 ounces frozen corn
- 15 ounce can black beans drained
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 ounce envelope taco seasoning
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- scallions, sour cream, tomatoes for garnish
Instructions
- Brown and drain your ground beef and place into the slow cooker.
- Add in your beef broth, salsa, frozen corn, beans, bell pepper and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving add in the pasta and stir to cover.
- Cook for 30 more minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in 1 cup of cheese.
- Top with the remaining cheese. Garnish with your favorite taco toppings.
Last Step:
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6 comments on “Taco Pasta”
Excellent recipe. I have a gluten allergy so I used chickpea pasta and it turned out great! Would definitely make this again!
Thanks Angie!
I didn’t make it, but with a days worth of sodium I just can’t . I know this is not a health recipe collection but this is just over the top for a lot of people
Hi Jeff. Thanks for the comment, I understand your concern. Most of the sodium is coming from the beef broth in this recipe. You could use a low sodium broth which would likely cut the amount in half.
Your recipe with the ingredients, doesn’t include the pasta. How much pasta?
Hi Donna. Thanks for letting me know! Just added that in.