Cheesy Taco Pasta

by Sabrina Snyder

Published on Last updated

446 Comments

4.96 from 211 votes
6 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
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Cheesy Taco Pasta is easy to make and tastes like the Hamburger Helper you used to eat as a kid except so much better. Try it tonight!

Hamburger Helpers are a nostalgic and crowd-pleasing boxed meal. I’ve made homemade versions, like this one, Bacon and Cheeseburger, Pepperoni Pizza, and Philly Cheesesteak for an elevated, but still easy Pasta Dinner!

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Sabrina’s Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe

Cheesy Taco Pasta is my nod to the hamburger helper I grew up eating as a kid. While this isn’t exactly the “crunchy taco hamburger helper” because I skipped adding the tortilla chips. But the ooey-gooey meat and cheesy sauce is still the same and with just a few ingredients! Plus, you can always add crushed tortilla chips to the top. Then you’ll really be reliving some awesome childhood hamburger helper memories.

If you love extra cheesy food, you’ll love this recipe! I added only a single cup of cheese, but you can add up to 2 cups of cheese. You could also just serve more cheese with other toppings, like tortilla strips, sour cream and fresh tomatoes, that way everyone can add as much as they like.

Kitchen Tools and Ingredients

  • Cast Iron Skillet: You want a big skillet, preferably 12 inches, that is a bit deep so that you can mix everything without losing any of that flavor you built searing the meat.
  • Jarred Salsa: Using your favorite jarred salsa cuts the prep time down to just a couple of minutes and the flavors are still outstanding. You could also use my Homemade Salsa Recipe for a more gourmet option.
  • Taco Seasoning: Buy a packet of premade taco seasoning at the store, or use my Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe to make your own with common pantry spices.

How to Make

Time needed: 25 minutes

  1. Cook pasta:

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the shell pasta according to the box instructions. Then, drain the cooked pasta and set it to the side.

  2. Brown beef

    Add the ground beef to a skillet and brown on all sides. Drain the excess fat from the pan.

  3. Season

    Mix in the taco seasoning and ¾ cup water. Continue to cook until the liquid cooks down.

  4. Combine ingredients

    Add the cooked pasta, salsa, and cheese to the pan. Stir to combine the cheesy pasta recipe and serve.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Cheesy Taco Pasta

Cheesy Taco Pasta is easy to make and tastes like the Hamburger Helper you used to eat as a kid except so much better. Try it tonight!
Yield 6 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American Fusion
Author Sabrina Snyder
Cheesy Taco Pasta in a bowl
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 pound large shells pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning , (or 1 packet)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup jarred salsa
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Cook the shelled pasta according to the directions on the box and drain.
  • Add the ground beef to the pan and brown well.
  • Drain the fat.
  • Add the taco seasoning and ¾ cup of water, stir and cook until water is gone.
  • Add the pasta back into the pot with the salsa and cheese.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Serve immediately, preferably with crunchy tortilla chips (optional) on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 2mg

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Can I make It Ahead of Time?

You can cook the pasta recipe now and freeze it to enjoy at a later date. I’d skip adding the cheese and when you defrost it, use a cup of chicken or beef stock to revitalize the sauce. Then once warmed through add the cheese, mix and serve.

How to Store

  • Store: After cooking, don’t leave this pasta recipe at room temperature for more than 2 hours. You can let the leftovers cool, then transfer them to an airtight container to keep fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: For another storage option, seal the recipe in a freezer bag and keep it frozen for up to 3 months. You can let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
  • Reheat: You can reheat the cheesy pasta over medium-low heat on the stovetop, or in 30-second increments in the microwave. Add a splash of water or broth to keep the recipe from drying out, and stir as you reheat it.

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About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. ALL my grandkids love this! I always use my immersion blender to get rid of the chunks in the salsa (kids don’t like to see chunks of tomato, onion, peppers, etc.). Tonight I made it for a picky granddaughter. To “temper” the heat a bit, I added a little sour cream to the salsa before adding it to the dish. Worked great. This is a winner!

    Reply

    1. Love hearing this about our recipes! Thank you Gary and thanks for the five star review!

      Reply