Easy Cheesy Taco Pasta

This cheesy taco pasta is just perfect for a quick yet delicious weeknight dinner. It's creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy and so easy to make in one pot. Expect everyone to ask for seconds!

What's better than Taco night? Pasta night, of course 🙂 If you're torn between the two on a busy weeknight, this easy cheesy taco pasta is the answer!

Besides being a great way to use ground beef, taco pasta is ready in just over 30 minutes.

You don't even need to cook the pasta shells separately - it all comes together in one pot, so there's less washing up to do.

I love this recipe not just because it's so easy but also because the creamy, cheesy sauce has just the right amount of spiciness to keep things interesting while remaining family-friendly.

I like to serve this creamy taco pasta with a dash of sour cream on top for an enhanced taco-style experience.

Plus, the sour cream packs a slightly acidic punch that complements the spiciness of the sauce beautifully.

What do you need to make cheesy taco pasta?

Onion and bell peppers - These veggies form the base of the sauce and fill it with flavour. Use any colour bell pepper you want.

Lean beef mince (ground beef) - I make this cheesy taco pasta with lean 5% ground beef, but you can also use turkey or chicken.

Garlic - Fresh garlic is best here and you can either chop it finely or crush it. You can use frozen garlic instead if you don't have it, but the flavour won't be quite the same.

Tomato paste - I use a tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste for the sauce, but you can substitute it with 100 ml (½ cup) tomato sauce (passata).

Spices and herbs - I make taco pasta with a mix of chilli powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano. Alternatively, you can use a store-bought taco seasoning.

Sweetcorn - Fresh, frozen or canned sweetcorn are all great options here.

Chicken stock - I like to make this one-pot cheesy taco pasta with chicken stock, but you can use beef stock if you want. The sauce will be slightly darker in colour if you use beef stock.

Pasta shells - Pasta shells are perfect for this taco pasta with cream cheese because they act like little cups for the meat and veggies. You can substitute them with fusilli.

Cream cheese - Philadelphia is my favourite cream cheese for sauces like this. You can use the full-fat or low-fat version. It's always best to have the cream cheese at room temperature before adding it to the sauce because it will break down quicker.

Cheddar cheese - I used a mild cheddar for this pasta sauce, but other options include Monterey Jack, gouda and even mozzarella.

How to make it?

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven and saute the onion and green pepper over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

Add the beef mince and cook for another 5 minutes until browned. Break it up with your spoon as it cooks.

Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant. Next, add the chilli powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano and salt and stir to combine.

Add the sweetcorn, chicken stock and pasta shells and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low-medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Stir in the cream cheese and grated cheese until melted and the sauce becomes creamy. Season as needed with salt and pepper and serve topped with sour cream, coriander (cilantro) and spring onions, if you like.

Recipe notes and tips for the best taco pasta

• You can make this taco pasta dairy free by omitting the cream cheese and cheddar at the end. The sauce won't be as creamy, but it will still be super tasty.
• The recipe, as written, is not very spicy to keep it family-friendly. If you want it to be more fiery, you can use a hot chilli powder.
• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You may need to add a bit of stock or water when reheating because the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid.

If you liked this easy cheesy taco pasta, you might also like some of my other easy pasta recipes:

• Pasta alla Boscaiola (Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta)
• Spicy Nduja Pasta
• Pasta alla Papalina (Creamy Ham and Peas Pasta)
• Pasta alla Norcina
• Prawn Chilli Pasta

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