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!
Sabrina’s Cheesy Taco Pasta Recipe
Cheesy Taco Pasta is my nod to the Hamburger Helper I grew up eating as a kid. This isn’t exactly the “crunchy taco hamburger helper,” I skipped adding the tortilla chips. However, the ooey-gooey meat and cheesy sauce are 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.
Recipe Card
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
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
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, so that 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.
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.
Looking for more cheesy pasta dishes?
These photos were used in previous versions of this post.
Great recipe. Super easy to prepare. Added extra water from noodles to tin out sauce. I also added Tastefully Simple Fiesta Party Seasoning to mine ~ it made the taste over the top.
My 16 yr old daughter found this recipe on Pinterest and asked if I could make it. This was an awesome dish and super easy to prepare. I doubled the recipe, used a whole pack of taco seasoning, a jar of my favorite salsa and it was amazing. Will definitely make this again.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
This was amazingly yummy!! Sticking with the theme, I’m going to add corn and black beans next time!!
Delicious! My family loved it! This will definitely be added to my list of go to recipes on busy nights. Thanks for making dinner time a tasty breeze!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know, Maria! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
Husband and I really enjoyed this. Will make again.
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Delish!! 5 stars
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I found this recipe yesterday on Pinterest just by typing in “dinner” ??. Made it last night because it sounded so simple! It was simple and a huge hit with my family! Even my picky 12 year old!! Thank you for sharing!!
That is SO AWESOME! Haha. I am so glad it brought you here! And I’m even more glad you loved the pasta!
what if i do not have salsa
You can substitute with chopped tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes. Make sure both are drained of any extra water.
This recipe was delicious. My family asked for seconds.
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Made this dish using ground Italian sausage and ground Turkey. So DELICIOUS! This will be my go to, quick fix meal.
Made this using ground Italian sausage and ground Turkey. So delicious. This will be my go to, quick fix meal. Family absolutely enjoyed it.
Hello I am currently making this, am I using a whole 1oz package of taco season? Just clarifying thanks!
Yes! I am sorry you’re probably way done eating this!
Have you ever added corn to this? Wondering what kind would be best? Frozen or canned? And if canned, do you drain it? Probably stupid questions but I’m a beginner at cooking so I usually don’t edit recipes at all bc I don’t want to mess it up. Lol
Sure, I would add 1 cup of frozen corn. Increase your salsa too though and cheese. Maybe do 1 1/2 cups of each. Add the corn in with the pasta and it’ll defrost easily and quickly.
Can you freeze this dish?
Absolutely, you may need a bit more liquid when reheating though.
Can you make this the night before and cook the next day?
Yes just skip adding the cheese part. When you reheat it, add a bit of chicken or beef stock. Once warmed through, add the cheese and you’re all set! Enjoy!
Can you use the packaged taco mix?
Nevermind,just seeing the “packaged mix” in the recipe .?
Sure, or you can use my homemade option. 1 packaged mix or 2-3 tablespoons of homemade.
Love tacos and anything pasta so this is the best of both worlds.
Couldn’t agree more! Thank you for the 5 stars!!
Does it taste the same without the salsa? Or at least taste good still? I don’t care for salsa.
The salsa does add to the flavor so if you don’t care for it, you could substitute with enchilada sauce with diced tomatoes. The flavor might be stronger so you could always mellow it out a bit with some sour cream.
Delicious! Used medium hot salsa and added a can of Summer corn. Fast, easy!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Julie!
Has anyone used a slow cooker? Love the dish but I want to make it for a reunion.
Yes, you can make this into a slow cooker version very easily. Add the browned meat with the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker and add 2 cups of water. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Once it’s cooked, add the cheese in and stir. Enjoy and have fun at the reunion!
I accidentally bought bow tie pasta. I’m sure that will be though, don’t you think? I’m also going to add a little bit of black beans and corn. Can’t wait to try it!
I say, go for it! I’d love to hear how it turns out.
I think I’ll try it with the shells next time, but the black beans and corn definitely worked well. Great one pot meal for sure. The meat/salsa/cheese mixture is a good base that you probably take in several different directions. I think it might be good to try rice instead of pasta.
Yes, very customizable and easy to switch up for sure!
How do you think it would taste with ground turkey or chicken substituted for the ground beef? Ever tried it?
I haven’t tried it yet but either would be a great substitution to switch this dish up!
I tried it with the ground chicken and added a little more cheese. I tried it in the slow cooker as well. It turned out awesome.
I just made it with ground turkey, didn’t have any burger, and it is great!
Yummy! This is really good, added some extra cheese, and a bit of sour cream. Will definitely be making it again
How much sour cream did you use?
Fresh Cilantro sounds like it would add a lot!
Go for it! You can customize this dish to your liking!
I added the whole amount of seasoning ? It’s so hot!! I should’ve read the comments. I had no idea it was supposed to be one tablespoon of the seasonings made ?
Oh no! I’m so sorry. My recipe plug in must have not saved my edit. I just edited it again so I hope it sticks. It should read “use 1-2 tablespoons to equal 1 taco seasoning packet”.
What kind of salsa do you use?
I use either Newman’s Own or Herdez https://www.amazon.com/Herdez-Salsa-Casera-Mild-16/dp/B000VDYSZ4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1503333068&sr=1-1&ppw=fresh&keywords=herdez+salsa&linkCode=sl1&tag=dinnthendess-20&linkId=ec60682e970854ba7eb182369316ccac
I think the ingredient list is deceiving. I opted to make my own taco seasoning. No where did it say how much the recipe needed and I assumed it was all of it! Big mistake!! I noticed some people saying they used 1-2 TB of the seasoning. It should have been explained better. While we ate some of the macaroni, the meat was way too spicy!!
I’m so sorry! It looks like my recipe plug in didn’t save the edit. I just edited again so I really hope it saves correctly this time.
Great, easy recipe. Thanks!! We loved it!!
Husband and I absolutely loved this. Wish I saw the other comment, adding black beans and sour cream before I served it. But there’s definately going to be a next time.
Can you use something other then salsa? I’m not a fan of onions. But this looks so yummy
That’s a good question. I’ve never tried it but I would suggest using enchilada sauce with diced tomatoes. The flavor will be stronger so you could mellow it out a bit by adding in sour cream. Let me know how it works out!
Try rotel instead of salsa if you don’t like onion. That’s diced green chilies and diced tomatoes
I don’t like onions either (or peppers for that matter) but I do like salsa, (I just pick out the chunks). So for this recipe. I bought a not too chunky salsa (like restaurant style) and puréed it. Worked great! No onion chunks and kept the salsa flavor!
Hi- this dish was delish! I added a can of black beans for a protein boost and it worked well. And then stirred in sour cream with MORE cheese once served. It was a hit with me and my husband and two out of three kiddos, one of them thought it was too spicy. Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
Hi Sara I have a question. Did you drain the black beans before adding them and also how much sour cream did you use? Thanks for any help
This looks really good…and easy!! I never use oil to brown ground beef though…it really doesn’t need it??But, to each his own! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! I tend to tell people to add oil because depending if the skillet they’re using is a non-stick one or how lean the meat is, the meat could tend to stick so adding just a bit of oil will prevent that.
Do you think this would work with a meatless ground beef substitute like Quorn?
I’ve never used it before but because you’re seasoning it, I would think it would still work. If you decide to try, let me know how it worked out.
Really simple and good side note I stuck it in the overn after cooking put some cheese on top it was amazing!
You can never go wrong with more melty cheese! So glad you enjoyed it!!
When do you add back the pasta?
After the taco seasoning is all mixed into the meat, add the pasta back in with the salsa and cheese. Enjoy!
Hi Sabrina, just want to make recipe correctly. When should I add the pasta? Should I do it after the water and taco seasoning? Thanks so much looks great!!
Yes, after the seasoning is mixed into the meat. Sorry if it seemed confusing. Hope you enjoy it!
Can you leave out the cayenne in the taco seasoning?
Yes, you can customize it to your family’s liking.
It was so easy and very delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it Kerry!
Hi Sabrina. This recipe was amazing. I made it for my family tonight and they LOVED it. My husband said I will never eat hamburger helper ever again. This will definitely be in our dinner rotation from now n.
Thanks Frances!
How big is a serving size?
between a cup and a half and two cups.
it’s amazing easy to fix
Very yummy, but I’m wondering the purpose of the water?
The water helps to mix in the taco seasoning.
How many does this feed?
This recipe makes 8 servings. enjoy!
What’s the serving size?
About 1 cup 🙂
How much of the homemade taco seasoning do you use in this recipe?
I’d say about 2 tablespoons or to taste, depending on how spicy you like it.
2 tablespoons per 1 pound beef?
Yes, I use about 2 tablespoons for every pound of beef. You can always add more or less depending on your taste.
The perfect dinner recipe for any day of the week. Easy and tasty.
Thank you!
This looks so much better than the box stuff! And homemade always tastes better too! This is a great dinner for busy weeknights.
I just love how easy this is to make! Definitely adding this to the weekly meal plan rotation soon. 🙂
Thanks Carrie!
Love this gooey cheesy pasta! I know what we’ll be having for dinner soon!
My daughter will go CRAZY over this! Love it, love it, love it!
This is a pasta dish I know my family would be excited about. So easy too!
It’s a family favorite, for sure!
Is this 1 box of pasta your using for the recipe ?
The boxed pasta I used was packaged as a full pound so I used half a box for this recipe. Hope this helps clear up any confusion.
love that you give the recipe for taco seasoning.my daughter always finds it to spicy so we can never have the package stuff ,so now i will be able to tone it down for her and we can all enjoy it.your recipes i have seen so far are amazing and not outlandishly complicated so us average joes can make them.thank you.
You’re welcome Sherry!
I use taco bell seasoning and it is not spicy at all had same issue with my 2 youngest girls
I started a long time ago using tomato sauce instead of water with the dry taco seasoning.. I make a lot of taco salads for my family as we all love them.. Keeps the sauce from being watery.. If a little thick for some, you can always add a tablespoon or two of water if needed.. Love the difference…
Great suggestion, Sandra!
Sandra, That sounds so good. Would love to try it using the tomato sauce, Could you please tell me what size can of tomato sauce you use? Thank you so much for any help you can give me. 🙂
If we can’t eat salsa do you have another suggestion for a replacement? ?
You can use diced or stewed tomatoes as a substitute though it will change the flavor a bit. I hope you enjoy it!