One Pot Taco Pasta

This easy Taco Pasta Recipe is a creamy and delicious one-pot meal you can make in 30 minutes! It's a quick, go-to, easy dinner that's a hearty mashup of all the taco flavors you love!

If you love easy pasta meals, try this reader favorite one pot pasta recipe next!

Why You'll Love This Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe

• One-Pot Dinner: This hearty mac and cheese recipe is made with ground meat, fresh vegetables, taco spices, and cheddar. Similar to my one-pot chicken pasta, this dish is perfect for quick and easy meals, and it's cooked entirely in one pot.
• Weeknight Dinners: Like most of my One Pot Meals, this cheesy taco pasta is a 30-minute dinner perfect for hectic evenings.
• Family-Friendly: Pasta nights are great, but when you tell the family that dinner is mac and cheese, you become a hero! If you love using your pressure cooker, you may also like Instant Pot Taco Mac and Cheese, which cooks in 4 minutes.
• Super Adaptable: I love recipes that can be adapted to dietary needs, flavor preferences, and what you have on hand. You can swap out the ground meat for your favorite or add or subtract the vegetables and cheeses you prefer.

Key Ingredients

The ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Ground Turkey: Ground turkey is a tasty and lean option for adding protein to this meal. If you prefer ground beef or chicken, both are delicious as well.
• Vegetables: I'm using onions, bell peppers, and garlic in this pasta recipe to boost its nutritional value. Plus, it adds delicious texture to the creamy pasta. To make meal prep super quick, I use my handy vegetable chopper.
• Spices: A simple taco seasoning is used in this recipe to keep it straightforward, but you can also use a mix of chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper as an alternative.
• Tomato Paste: For that concentrated tomato flavor perfect in tacos, all you need is a small amount of tomato paste.
• Pasta. I used the Cavatapi pasta that I had in my pantry, but any pasta shape, such as penne, pasta shells, rotini, rigatoni, or macaroni, works great.
• Shredded Cheese: The cheese may be the star of the show, so use your favorite taco cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack.

How to Make Taco Pasta

Step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a quick overview:

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and no longer pink.

Step 2: Stir in the onion, peppers, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the onion and veggies begin to soften.

Step 3: Stir in the broth, pasta, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, ensuring the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook for 9-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.

Step 4: Remove the cover, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the butter, milk, and grated cheese until melted. Garnish with parsley or cilantro, and serve!

Storing Leftovers

• To Store: Refrigerate leftover taco pasta in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat: The sauce will thicken in the refrigerator. Rewarm pasta in a Dutch oven on the stovetop, adding water or broth as needed, over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
• To Freeze: Store leftover pasta in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

What to Serve with Taco Pasta

• Appetizers: Continue the Tex-Mex theme and serve with Mexican Corn Dip or Black Eyed Peas Dip.
• Salad: Mexican Corn Salad is a perfect pairing with taco pasta.
• Desserts: Treat yourself to Mexican Chocolate Cookies or Easy Coconut Lime Bars with Shortbread Crust or maybe even Key Lime Pie!