Description
Looking for a quick dinner that hits all the right notes? This Classic One Pot Taco Pasta is a weeknight hero — packed with bold taco flavors, creamy cheese, and juicy ground beef. Everything cooks together in one pot, making it an ideal option for an easy dinner, fast cleanup, and happy eaters. Whether you’re meal-prepping or craving comfort food, this recipe is a go-to for families. Keywords: quick dinner, taco pasta, one pot meals, easy dinner recipe, creamy taco pasta, ground beef pasta, food ideas.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 ½ cups beef broth
2 cups medium pasta shells
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté until softened and fragrant.
2. Add ground beef. Cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
3. Stir in taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Mix to coat the beef evenly.
4. Pour in beef broth and pasta shells. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
5. Stir in cream cheese until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
6. Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted or cover for 1 minute to allow it to melt over the top.
Notes
For extra creaminess, use whole milk cream cheese and freshly grated cheddar.
Want to sneak in veggies? Stir in corn or spinach during the last few minutes of cooking.
Be sure not to overcook the pasta—start checking around 12 minutes to keep it perfectly al dente.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: taco pasta, one pot meal, ground beef dinner, creamy pasta, easy weeknight dinner