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Busy nights call for easy, delicious dinners, and this one pot cheesy taco pasta delivers big on both! With tender pasta, seasoned ground beef, and a creamy, cheesy taco-inspired sauce, it’s a guaranteed family favorite. Plus, everything cooks in one pot—meaning less time cleaning up and more time enjoying your meal. It’s comfort food with a zesty kick, perfect for when you need something quick, hearty, and totally satisfying!

A bowl of easy taco pasta featuring cheesy macaroni, black beans, ground meat, and diced avocado sits invitingly on a light blue table.

This one pot cheesy taco pasta is a quick, hearty meal with seasoned beef, tender pasta, and a creamy taco-flavored sauce—ready in 30 minutes!

You might also like to try maple bacon-wrapped green beans, shiitake mushroom crostini bruschetta, or even twice-baked sweet potato casserole

Close-up of a fork holding a bite of cheesy macaroni with ground beef, corn, and chopped vegetables. This one pot recipe with ground beef showcases the essence of a skillet pasta dinner, as the bowl reveals more delicious ingredients nestled beneath.

Why You’ll Love It

Really delicious: This cheesy taco pasta tastes so good, with bold beef, onion and garlic flavors, along with cheese, macaroni and other goodies.
Easy to whip up: You’ll find this recipe super-simple to prepare.
Minimal cleanup: This is a one pot recipe so you (or whoever you allocate to do the washing up) won’t have too much to do!

A bowl of easy taco pasta featuring macaroni and cheese topped with avocado, shredded cheese, black beans, and corn. This one-pot recipe offers a delightful twist on a classic with its cheesy taco flair.

One Pot Taco Pasta Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Ground beef: For a rich, meaty flavor.
Aromatics: Onion and garlic are delicious with the ground beef flavor.
Beef broth: Any brand you like will work here, or you could try my beef bone broth recipe.
Heavy cream: For rich, velvety indulgence.
Herbs and spices: Cumin, oregano and paprika add south of the border flavors. I like to use smoked paprika in mine.
Beans and corn: To add protein as well as extra flavor.
Cheddar cheese: I used sharp cheddar cheese but a Mexican cheese blend would work also.

Ingredients for an easy taco pasta skillet dinner: ground beef, macaroni noodles, cheddar cheese, corn, beans, spices, onion, garlic, tomato paste, creamy sauce, canned tomatoes, and cream.

How to Make Cheesy Taco Pasta

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Cook the beef and vegetables: Cook the beef, garlic and onion and then add the tomato paste and spices. The broth, tomatoes and cream go into the pot next.
Add the pasta: Next, add the pasta and let it cook, stirring occasionally.
Add the corn and beans: Add the corn and beans as well as some salt and pepper. Cook briefly to warm everything through, then serve and enjoy.

A bowl of one pot cheesy taco pasta with ground meat and beans rests on a striped cloth, perfectly embodying an easy taco pasta. A fork is partially visible beside the bowl.

Substitutions and Variations

Spice it up: If you want to spice the recipe up some more, you could add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the mixture. Red pepper flakes would suit this skillet pasta dinner.
Macaroni: Feel free to use any shape of pasta you want.
Cheddar cheese: Use any kind of shredded cheese or combine more than one.
Black beans: Substitute kidney beans or another favorite.

Bowls of creamy taco pasta with macaroni noodles and avocado, topped with ground meat and lime wedges. A blue pot hints at a One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta delight, surrounded by fresh tomatoes and avocados in the background.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Begin your meal with grilled chicken skewers or chicken zoodle soup.
Side dishes: If you want to serve something on the side, consider iceberg wedge salad or French onion bacon dip with your preferred dippers.
Dessert: Finish with a batch of delicious chewy coffee cookies.

A serving of cheesy taco pasta with ground beef and corn is being scooped from a pot into a bowl, showcasing an easy one-pot recipe. An avocado and striped napkin are nearby, completing this delicious skillet pasta dinner scene.

How to Store Cheesy Taco Macaroni Skillet

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw:
 Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in the oven or microwave.

A skillet filled with cooked macaroni, ground meat, beans, and a tomato-based sauce creates an easy taco pasta. A serving spoon lifts a portion. Plates and lemon slices sit in the background of this one-pot recipe with ground beef.

Top Tips

Stir often: Remember to stir the contents of the pot regularly, at least once every couple of minutes.
Pasta cooking time: Bear in mind the pasta will take a couple more minutes to cook than you would expect. This is because it’s in a pan with other ingredients. So if the package says it should take 10 minutes to cook through, consider giving it 12.
Top up the liquid if needed: Some pastas require more liquid to cook than others, so add extra liquid if the mixture in the pot is drying out. You will be able to eyeball this. If you end up with too much liquid you can always leave some behind in the pot when serving up.

Two bowls of taco pasta with macaroni noodles and black beans rest on a table, surrounded by avocado slices, lime wedges, tomatoes, and a pot containing more of this delicious dish.

Cheesy Taco Pasta FAQs

How tender should the pasta be?

You can always taste a piece to gauge if it’s tender enough for you. I like my pasta slightly al dente – neither too firm nor too soft! Everyone has their own preferences though. I know some people like soft pasta, so if that sounds like you, another minute or two will result in perfection.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes, if you swap the ground beef for extra beans or your preferred vegetarian protein and the beef broth for vegetable broth.

A pot filled with cooked macaroni mixed with beans, corn, and sauce rests on the table alongside tomatoes, avocados, lime, and a bowl wrapped in a striped cloth—an easy taco pasta perfect as a one-pot recipe for those craving flavor without any fuss.

Easy Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe

5 from 10 votes

One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

This one pot cheesy taco pasta is a quick, hearty meal with seasoned beef, pasta, and a creamy taco-flavored sauce—ready in 30 minutes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

Optional Garnishes:

  • cheddar, shredded
  • avocado, sliced
  • tomato, diced

Instructions 

  • Heat up a pot over medium high heat and add the ground beef.
  • Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until no longer pink, add the garlic and the onion and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until most of the liquid has dissolved.
  • Add spices and tomato paste, stir and cook another minute to cook the bitterness out of the tomato paste. 
  • Deglaze with 3 ½ cups of the beef broth, the diced tomatoes and heavy cream, then bring to a boil. 
  • Pour in the pasta and cook for the time that is written on the package, stirring every 2 minutes. 
  • Pasta should be very al dente now, if there is no visible liquid left add a bit more of the remaining beef broth. 
  • Add the corn and the beans and cook for another 2 minutes or until pasta is cooked. 
  • Stir in the cheese, add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately with your preferred garnishes.

Notes

Stir often: Remember to stir the contents of the pot regularly, at least once every couple of minutes.
Pasta cooking time: Bear in mind the pasta will take a couple more minutes to cook than you would expect. This is because it’s in a pan with other ingredients. So if the package says it should take 10 minutes to cook through, consider giving it 12.
Top up the liquid if needed: Some pastas require more liquid to cook than others, so add extra liquid if the mixture in the pot is drying out. You will be able to eyeball this. If you end up with too much liquid you can always leave some behind in the pot when serving up.

Nutrition

Calories: 672kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1873mg | Potassium: 1408mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1744IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 7mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

I love Mexican food and I love Italian food. I mean, I am Italian but Mexican food is just so good too! This recipe feels like bringing the two cuisines together, and you know what – it’s harmonious! Pasta is a great base for this south of the border style sauce and the dish comes together seamlessly.

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Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.

 

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Recipe Rating




5 from 10 votes (5 ratings without comment)

6 Comments

    1. I haven’t tried this recipe in a crockpot but I like making it because it’s a one-pot recipe. If you were to make it in a crockpot, you’d have to boil the pasta separately in another pot and then drain and add it to the mixture in the crockpot. The pasta wouldn’t take on the flavors of the taco seasonings. Also, some of the juices and liquid evaporates when cooking on the stove to thicken it up and this wouldn’t happen in a crockpot. So I wouldn’t really recommend it for this dish.