Tex-Mex Taco Pasta – 🌶️🧀🍅 When you need a recipe that’s full of bold flavor to jazz up a pound of ground beef and pasta, this EASY one-pot taco pasta checks all the boxes and is ready in 30 minutes! Every bite of pasta is coated with two types of melted cheese, there’s taco-seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and diced green chiles making this a crave-worthy family FAVORITE that’s great for busy weeknights or game day parties!
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If you’ve been wondering how to jazz up a pound of ground beef and a half box of pasta, this easy one-pot recipe has you covered! It’s easy, ready in less than 30 minutes, and full of tons of flavor.
This is such a great dish for busy weeknights since it’s ready quickly, and because it’s made in just one skillet, cleanup is a breeze! No need to boil pasta separately and then drain pasta. This cheesy taco pasta recipe is a one skillet wonder!
It’s also great for game day parties because no one can resist two types of melted cheese along with the Tex-Mex seasoned ground beef and perfectly cooked pasta.
To give this easy pasta skillet some pizzazz and touch of heat (and so that it deserves the Tex-Mex name) I used a can of Rotel which is just canned diced tomatoes with green chiles. I used Original but they also have mild and spicier versions.
Along with that, I used a small can of fire-roasted diced green chiles along and a packet of taco seasoning so there’s no skimping on layers of flavors.
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out my 30-Minute Southwestern Pasta and Ground Beef Skillet and my One Pot Beef Taco Pasta. Today’s recipe is a hybrid blend of those two recipes incorporating elements and flavors from both.
Ingredients in Tex Mex Pasta
For the Tex-Mex inspired ground beef shell pasta skillet, you’ll need the following common and easy to find fridge and pantry ingredients:
- Ground beef – I use 90% lean ground beef because it’s a nice balance between having enough fat (flavor) that the ultra-lean versions don’t have contrasted with fattier ground beef which may result in you having to drain excess grease from your skillet
- Onion
- Garlic
- Reduced sodium beef broth – reduced sodium chicken broth may be substiuted
- Canned petite diced tomatoes with green chiles – such as Original Rotel or similar. I used Original but there are mild/spicy versions
- Canned diced green chiles – I used fire-roasted mild Ortega but use what you like. Make sure to note there are two sizes commonly sold (4 oz and 7 oz) and I opted for the smaller
- Taco seasoning – mild, normal/original, spicy are all fine depending on your preference
- Uncooked pasta
- Shredded cheddar cheese – grate it yourself from a block for easiest melting
- Shredded Pepper Jack cheese – Monterey Jack or mozzarella work well too
- Jalapeño, optional for garnishing but recommended for Tex-Mex flavor
- Cilantro, cherry tomatoes, green onions, dollop of sour cream, or other favorites for garnishing, optional
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Tex-Mex Pasta in One Pot
Making this one skillet pasta recipe with seasoned ground beef and common fridge and pantry ingredients is a cinch. Here’s an overview of what you’ll do.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the onion and sauté over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, crumbling and stirring as it cooks.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, canned green chiles, taco seasoning, uncooked pasta, and stir well to combine.
- Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the meat mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.
- Turn off the heat, add the cheeses, and stir to combine and melt them.
- Garnish as desired and serve immediately!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
In the Refrigerator: Leftover taco pasta will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze It: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and after it’s come to room temperature, you can warm it up.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove or oven, whatever is best suited for you.
What to Serve with Tex Mex Pasta
Depending on if you’re serving this pasta salad as a stand-alone dish for a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner versus serving it at a little get-together in your backyard or as part of your menu for a game day, you can decide if you may want to serve it with a salad, beans, another protein, or just grab some tortilla chips and salsa. It’s a casual dish that pairs well with most anything!
Recipe FAQs
You can use most any short-strand or small-shaped pasta including the following:
cavatappi (what I used)
small elbow macaroni (the next most logical choice because it’s common and easy to find)
small shells (the next logical choice because it’s common and easy to find)
penne
ziti
rigatoni
rotini
small wheels
ditali
I’ve never tested the recipe with GF pasta so I don’t know if the liquid ratios will work out correctly to cook the pasta so that it’s not hard (undercooked) nor mushy and soup with excess liquid.
The one tricky thing about one-pot pasta recipes is that you need to balance the amount of liquid so that the pasta has enough liquid to absorb, soften, and cook through properly. But not so much liquid that your pasta dish is soupy. And all pasta differs in terms of how much liquid it likes to absorb based on the brand, shape, etc.
2 1/2 cups beef broth along with the canned goods which have liquid is a good starting place and should work just fine. However, add another 1/2 cup broth or water at the end of the cooking process if your pasta just needs a bit more softening, which means it needs to absorb a bit more liquid so give it some!
On the off-chance that you have an excess of liquid for what the pasta could absorb and it’s a little soupy, you can uncover the skillet, turn the heat to high, and let it come to a fast boil and allow some of the liquid to simply steam off (evaporate). However, note that as pasta sits it continues to absorb liquid so I’d be hesitant to get too carried away with this for fear of a dry dish later on, especially leftovers.
Yes it’s possible to use either of those ground proteins. However, since they have very little fat, you’ll likely want to brown it and the onions with a healthy splash of olive oil for both flavor and texture.
Yes you can. Note that in one-pot recipes like this, the bigger the quantity of food you’re making, that it can get a little tricker to nail the exact amount of liquid you’ll need, so keep that in mind and be ready to add more liquid, if desired.
Rather than using a standard packet of taco seasoning, if you have a homemade version that you love, go for it. Another quick way to go is 1 to 2 teaspoons each of ground cumin and chili powder, and about 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and paprika. Of course, adjust to your taste preferences.
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Tex-Mex Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef, about 90% lean
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 ½ cups reduced sodium beef broth
- one 10-ounce can Original Rotel, do NOT drain (diced tomatoes with green chiles, or similar; canned petite diced tomatoes may be substituted for those avoiding spiciness)
- one 4-ounce can green chiles, do NOT drain (versions may include fire-roasted, plain, mild, spicy, etc.)
- one 1-ounce packet taco seasoning, any spice level that you prefer
- 8 ounces dry, uncooked cavatappi, elbow macaroni, or other small-shaped pasta (see FAQs for recommended shapes)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, grate your own if possible
- 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack or mozzarella may be substituted for less spiciness
- Salt and pepper, if desired and to taste
- Sliced jalapeno pepper, optional but recommended for garnishing
- Fresh cilantro, finely minced; optional for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large, high-sided skillet add the ground beef, onions, and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes to brown the beef and cook the onions; stir, flip, and crumble the beef as it cooks to ensure even cooking. Tips– If desired, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to get things going before the beef has a chance to render out its fat so it's not overly dry. I recommend approximately 90% fat ground beef. If it's fattier, you may need to drain fat from the skillet before the next step. But if it's ultra lean, flavor may be lacking.
- After the beef has cooked, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
- Add the beef broth, Rotel, green chiles, taco seasoning, dry pasta, and stir very well to combine. Tip – Make sure to add all the liquid from the canned goods and don't drain them. You need the liquid to cook the pasta.
- Cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta has been cooked to al dente. Tips – Read the FAQs in the blog post about what to do if after 15 minutes your pasta is still hard and isn't cooked through (likely add about 1/2 cup more broth or water and cook covered for a few more minutes until it absorbs and the pasta is soft) and conversely what to do if there's excess liquid after 15 minutes and the pasta is done (likely uncover the skillet and let it boil rapidly for a minute or two for some excess liquid volume to evaporate). All pasta will cook at a slightly different rate and may slightly different levels of liquid in order to soften it (but not make it soggy), so use common sense and follow my tips.
- After the pasta has cooked through, the liquid level has reduced and absorbed into the pasta, turn off the heat, add the cheeses, and stir to combine. The carryover heat from the hot ingredients will melt the cheese.
- Taste, and as desired, add salt and pepper, to taste. I suggest about 1 teaspoon or each, but it will vary depending on your preferences and how salty or not the beef broth you used was. Tip – If you like spicier dishes, now is a great time to add about 1 tsp dried red chili flakes, and/or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want it to become much spicier.
- Optionally and to taste, garnish with jalapeno pepper slices, fresh cilantro, cherry tomatoes, or as desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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