Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Pasta
This ground beef taco pasta recipe is cheesy, comforting and hearty, made with ground beef, macaroni, a cheesy sauce, and a whole lot of taco flavors. It's a great recipe to call upon for those busy weeknights that the whole family will love! A quick, 30-minute, all-in-one-dinner meal!
Ingredients
For Pasta
- 2 ½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 pound ground beef, I used lean
- 2 ½ cup beef broth
- 1 cup cheddar cheese or colby jack, grated from a block for better melting
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, I recommend grating from a block
- ¾ cup milk, full fat or low fat is fine
- 1 (10 oz) can, (284 ml) crushed tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes with chiles
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced/chopped garlic
- ½ cup diced brown/yellow onion
For Taco Seasoning (+see notes)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano, you can use dried oregano too
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion until softened, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Break up the beef into small pieces using a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. If you prefer a leaner option, there will be less excess fat to drain, but note that it may slightly affect the flavor compared to using 80% beef.
- Add the taco seasoning to the skillet and stir well.
- Pour in the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and milk. Add the uncooked macaroni, cover the skillet, and allow it to come to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the pasta reaches an al dente texture, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Initially, it may seem like there is excess liquid, but this is normal.
- The pasta will absorb the liquid as it rests, resulting in a thickened sauce. It's best to consume this dish immediately if you've cooked the pasta directly in the sauce, as reheating may cause it to become dry. If reheating, you'll need to add extra liquid such as broth, water, or milk, but note that the flavor may be less intense and different from the original.
- Reduce the heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and grated mozzarella cheese, combining them thoroughly. Remove from heat and serve. Optionally, you can also sprinkle ¼ cup of cheddar or mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta, cover the skillet, and allow the cheese to melt.
- Serve the dish hot, accompanied by lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Taco Seasoning - You can use 1 packet of store-bought taco seasoning instead.
- Toppings - I used jalapeno and cherry tomatoes, parsley. Jarred salsa or Fresh salsa.
- Uncooked elbow macaroni - Another type of pasta can be used such as penne, bow tie, rotini. Pasta shells are also great.
- Ground beef - For a healthier option, I’ve used lean ground bee so the fat doesn’t interfere with the sauce texture. But regular hearty ground beef 80/20 can be used too if you liek the flavor.
- Beef broth or beef stock - Chicken broth can be used in a pinch or when making this easy pasta recipe with ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Cheese - Cheddar cheese, Colby Jack, Mozzarella or Monterey Jack is great. I also use mozzarella cheese in this recipe. Use freshly shredded cheese, grated from a block of cheese, for better flavor and melting.
- Milk - Full-fat or low-fat. Heavy cream can be added to thicken the meaty mixture and add extra flavor.
- Can of crushed tomatoes - Or Rotel tomatoes with chilies to add a kick of heat to this pasta dish.
- Garlic - Freshly minced or chopped. Garlic powder is an option if you can't source garlic cloves.
- Onion - Diced brown or yellow onion.
- Lime wedges - For serving.
- Taco seasoning - You can use one packet of store-bought taco seasoning or make your own by combining one teaspoon of ground cumin, one teaspoon of ground oregano (you can use dried oregano, too), salt and black pepper to taste, one teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon chili powder.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!