We have been crazy busy at our house lately. Between our work schedule and our home building project, we need super easy dinners. Fortunately, everyone in our house loves this easy cheesy taco pasta. I love it because it is a quick and easy pasta dinner.
This one-pot taco pasta is absolute comfort food because it brings back memories of cooking Hamburger Helper as a teenager. Who else is with me?
The taco pasta dinner is all made in one pot in 30 minutes so there is minimal cleanup after dinner. One-pot chicken bacon spinach pasta is also made in one pot, plus it has cheese and bacon! Life doesn’t get much better.
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How To Make One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
First, you will need a large pot or a large skillet with a lid. I do a lot of my cooking in my dutch oven. It is likely my most used pot.
Brown one pound ground beef on medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly and remove from heat. Drain the grease and return to the heat.
Add in two cans of Rotel, one packet of taco seasoning, and four cups beef stock. Bring to a boil and stir in sixteen ounces of dry noodles.
I like a larger noodle that will handle the sauce well so I usually choose a cellentani or large shell since they hold together better and hold more of the yummy cheesy taco meat in the pasta. You can use whatever noodles you prefer, but smaller noodles will need a shorter cook time.
Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Stir the noodles occasionally to prevent them from sticking together. I stir about every three minutes. Don’t uncover and stir to often and definitely don’t overcook.
Cook until al dente which will be about eight to ten minutes for a larger noodle. Remove from heat and then gently stir in one and one-half cup shredded cheese until well combined. I use Monterey Jack most often, but I have used shredded cheddar cheese before. Basically, either of these or a shredded Mexican cheese blend will work.

What To Serve With Cheesy Taco Pasta
Since this cheesy taco pasta recipe is a little heavy on the starches and cheese, vegetables will make the perfect addition to the dinner plate.
A salad like this Mexican green salad would also be a good option to go along with the one-pot taco pasta. Salad and pasta are always a good match. Always.
More One-Pot & Sheet Pan Dinners
- One-Pot Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta – The flavors in this pasta dish are phenomenal. Bacon adds a new dimension to anything and this pasta is no exception. Cleanup is a breeze since it all cooks in one large pot.
- Sheet Pan Turkey Sausage and Vegetables – A healthier dinner with turkey sausage kielbasa and fresh roasted veggies cooked together on a large sheet pan.

Cheesy Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 2 cans Rotel
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 1 package Taco Seasoning
- 16 ounces Pasta Shells
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Brown one pound ground beef on medium-high heat in a large pot until cooked thoroughly and remove from heat.
- Drain the grease and return to the heat.
- Add in two cans Rotel, one packet of taco seasoning, and four cups beef stock.
- Bring to a boil and add in sixteen ounces of dry noodles. Stir well.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Stir the noodles occasionally to prevent them from sticking together.
- Cook until the noodles are al dente, about eight to ten minutes.
- Remove from heat and then gently stir in one and one-half cup shredded cheese.
Notes
- Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mexican blended cheese are all good cheese for the cheesy taco pasta.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 474Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1467mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 34g
All information and tools within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on swingshiftmom.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. The nutritional labels are a product of online calculators. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.