Whip up this easy taco spaghetti. A Tex-Mex seasoned ground beef, Rotel, and tender pasta all cooked in one pan! This creamy taco spaghetti recipe is such a simple one-dish dinner. Minimal ingredients, quick prep, and one dish that needs cleaning! Add on some cheddar cheese or any of your favorite taco toppings for a satisfying dinner. This is the perfect easy weeknight dinner that is a twist on a regular spaghetti recipe.
Not to mention this Mexican spaghetti casserole is a kid-friendly dinner. Give it a try for when you want something a little different to serve up your crew. This is a fun taco night dinner that will shock your family. It is a complete meal in one. The best part of all, even picky eaters will gobble up this great recipe.
This Taco Spaghetti Is…
- Easy 30-minute dinner that takes minimal effort to make.
- A one-pot meal is a fantastic pasta dish.
- This is a ground beef dinner that is a budget-friendly dinner idea.
- A Mexican dinner idea that is a perfectly seasoned meat mixture that uses a packet of taco seasoning.
- A Mexican spaghetti recipe that uses lean ground beef, tender pasta, diced tomatoes, and more.
- Kid-friendly dinner that kids will enjoy gobbling up.
Ingredients You Need
Ground beef – Make sure to drain off the fat once cooked. I prefer a lean ground beef.
Diced onion – Yellow or white onions offer the best flavor. Finely chop the onion so it doesn’t overtake the flavors of the dish.
Rotel – Diced tomatoes with green chiles. Rotel tomatoes have tons of flavor. If you can’t find it use a can of diced tomatoes and a can of green chilies in replace of Rotel.
Water
Spaghetti Noodles – I used spaghetti noodles but you can change it out for a different shape of pasta. Leave the uncooked spaghetti noodles whole or break in half if you don’t have a large enough pan.
Tomato sauce – This helps enhance the flavor of the pasta dish.
Taco seasoning – Use any taco seasoning or make homemade. This is going to give the meat mixture that taco meat flavor for the taco form.
Shredded cheese – I used sharp cheddar but feel free to swap with a Mexican cheese blend or another variety.
Modification And Swaps
There are so many ways you can change up this pasta recipe. Here are a few quick changes you could make.
- Use ground Turkey or chicken in replace of beef.
- Add in a can of beans. Black beans, pinto, etc.
- Use a Mexican cheese blend of other flavors of cheese.
- Mix in a can of drained corn.
- Instead of spaghetti noodles swap out with angel hair, elbow, shells, rigatoni, etc.
- Add in ⅓ cup heavy cream right before serving to give a creamier texture.
- Etc.
- Pour into a casserole dish, top with cheese and make a taco spaghetti casserole, to melt cheese in oven.
How to Make
Full directions and measurements for this taco spaghetti recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Start by adding ground beef to a large skillet on medium heat. Crumble the meat up, and then add in the onion to cook with beef.
- Once the meat is fully cooked. Then drain off any grease from crumbled hamburger meat.
- Add in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and Rotel with juice in the can. Stir for a second to incorporate.
- Add in the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Break spaghetti noodles in half and place in the skillet. Push down gently to submerge the pasta.
- Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the skillet. Let the spaghetti mixture simmer for around 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
- Once the pasta is done, stir in ½ the cheese. Then mix and serve with extra cheese, a dollop of sour cream, cilantro, or other toppings of choice.
Craving More Taco Recipes
Taco cornbread casserole. | Chicken Walking Tacos. | Pulled Pork Tacos | Shrimp Tacos. | Lobster Tacos
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate: This makes quite a lot of Rotel spaghetti with ground beef. So for us, we did have extra leftovers. Simply store it in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The whole family will love the leftovers of this delicious dish.
How to Reheat: To reheat you can warm up in the microwave for a quick reheat. If you make a donut shape with pasta, leaving an empty space in the center of the plate, it reheats more evenly.
Helpful Tips
Drain off the grease by using tongs and a paper towel. Gently push the meat to one side of the pan. Then with tongs wad up some paper towels. Use the paper towel to soak up excess grease in the pan.
It is important to let the dish simmer to cook the pasta. I used my tongs to gently move the pasta around a couple of times to prevent pasta from clumping together.
Once the pasta is fully cooked stir in some of the cheese. This will help thicken up the dish just a bit. Then use the remaining cheese to top each individual plate.
FAQs
Here are some helpful questions and answers for this one-pot ground beef recipe. This taco pasta recipe is one that is easy, but these questions can help you cook with success.
Taco spaghetti is a pasta dish that is flavored with taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and more. Think pasta and Mexican collide into one.
Want to make a larger batch? If so, simply use a larger pot or skillet that will hold all the pasta and meat.
The best way to know when pasta is done is to remove a piece and allow it to cook a bit then try it. Pasta is done when it is soft with a slight bit of firmness (al dente).
The longer pasta cooks it will become gummy and break down.
Depending on the shape and size of the pasta is the reason for different cooking times. Larger pasta will take longer than a smaller-shaped piece. You will also find dry pasta needs to absorb the liquid before it can even begin cooking, whereas fresh pasta cooks faster.
If you find your pasta soaks up all the water but still seems a tad bit hard, simply add in around ⅓-½ cup more depending on the texture of the doneness. Then place the lid back on the pan to simmer longer.
More Dinner Recipes
Here are more easy dinner ideas like this one pot taco pasta! Try out these other dinner recipes.
Have you tried the recipe? If so, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below or drop a comment. Also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, or My Facebook Group
Taco Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning or 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 can Rotel 10 ounces
- 1/4 cup onion diced
- 3 cups water
- 8-9 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 2 cups shredded cheese sharp
- Topping: Sour cream cilantro, etc. (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet on the stove, heat on medium-high and cook your ground beef. I did season with salt and pepper, but this is optional.
- Add in the diced onion when the ground beef is mostly cooked. Finish cooking until the meat is fully cooked then drain off grease.
- Pour in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and Rotel with the juice. Mix well.
- Pour in the water, and then break spaghetti noodles in half and place in skillet.
- Cover the pasta with water, by pushing it down gently into the water. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once the taco spaghetti mixture is boiling reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is done.
- When the spaghetti is done I stir in 1 cup of cheese to give it a creamy texture.
- Then serve with cilantro, more cheese, and sour cream, or serve the taco spaghetti plain.
Video
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
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