Tex-Mex Cheesy Beef Pasta is a fun twist on a classic comfort meal with all the bold flavors of Tex-Mex. The whole family will love it!
This Pasta is a great dish to bring to a potluck just like my Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese or my Baked Mac and Cheese. This southwest twist on classic macaroni and cheese is just as delicious with amazing flavors to make it a regular at your events and dinner table.
Sabrina’s Tex-Mex Cheesy Beef Pasta Recipe
A simple Mac & Cheese dinner is one of those comforting foods that no one can get enough of. Which is probably why I have so many variations of this classic cheesy baked casserole. Perfect for busy weeknights, this meal is often made in one pot or skillet, making cleanup easy while still delivering big flavor. It’s also highly customizable and works well for feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or serving as a comforting dinner everyone will look forward to.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef , 80/20
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 red bell pepper , deseeded and chopped
- 8 ounces large shells pasta , cooked 1 minute shy of directions
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 packets taco seasoning
- 3 cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (divided)
- 1 cup corn
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes , drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Shred the cheeses, keeping 1 cup of the cheddar off to the side for the topping.
- Add the beef, onion and bell pepper to the stockpot and cook on medium heat until the beef is cooked through then remove from the pan, draining the fat from the beef.
- Add the butter to a large stockpot and melt on medium-low heat.
- Add the flour and taco seasoning whisking together for an additional 15 seconds.
- Add the milk slowly while whisking to keep the mixture well combined then turn off the heat.
- Remove 1 cup of the milk mixture and let cool for a 3-5 minutes in the refrigerator in a larger glass measuring cup or bowl.
- Add the egg to the cooled milk and whisk it well until fully combined then whisk this mixture back into the pot.
- Add in 2 cups of cheddar cheese and whisk well on medium heat.
- Add the macaroni, corn, tomatoes and beef mixture and mix well and pour into a 9×13 pan.
- Top with remaining cup of cheddar cheese and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tip
A great tip is to cook the pasta just to al dente before mixing it into the sauce. The pasta will continue to absorb flavor and soften as it sits in the cheesy sauce, so starting with slightly firm pasta helps keep the final dish from becoming too soft or mushy.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
This dish is warm, filling, and loaded with flavor in every bite, balancing creamy textures with a little spice and richness. It has the cozy feel of a classic pasta dinner but with a fun Tex-Mex twist that makes it stand out. Once the pasta is done baking, you will be in bubbly, cheesy, spicy comfort food heaven. Top the dish off with salsa, sour cream, avocado, and crushed chips to add to the Tex-Mex theme!
Ingredients
- Meat: Ground beef is perfect because it’s one of the most common meats used in taco recipes, and it makes the meal more filling and protein-packed, feel free to use a protein of your choosing, chicken, turkey and even Impossible beef is fantastic.
- Vegetables: For the vegetables, this recipe is a combination of bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and corn kernels. Not only do the vegetables add some variety to the texture and flavor, but they also go perfectly with the Tex-Mex theme.
- Cheese Sauce: The cheese sauce gets its flavor from a mixture of melted unsalted butter and taco seasoning mix. Milk, egg, and cheese turn it into a creamy, cheesy sauce to coat the pasta.
- Pasta: The simple ingredients are all combined and mixed into this delicious pasta dish. The large shell pasta is the perfect filling and comforting food for the base of the dish.
Can this be made ahead of time?
If you want to have an easy dinner ready to pop into the oven, follow the directions until the last step of baking the casserole. Allow to cool to room temperature and cover tightly, then refrigerate up to 48 hours before baking. Bake covered in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, then remove cover and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until heated through.
How to Store
- Serve: This cheesy pasta dish can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it should be cooled and stored.
- Store: To keep leftovers fresh, cover the dish in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven in a baking dish until hot and bubbly.
- Freeze: This pasta dinner recipe also makes a great freezer meal. Cool completely and cover pan with plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 8 months, and remove the plastic wrap, then cook with foil in oven until hot all the way through.
Frequent Questions
This recipe uses large shell pasta, which will allow the cheesy beef mixture to fill into the shell cavities without the need to individually stuff them. Any larger shaped pasta that holds sauce well will work for this casserole such as penne, rigatone, large elbow macaroni, or ziti. The larger shapes will also prevent the pasta from overcooking when it bakes.
Absolutely, simply substitute the ground beef for your favorite brand of meatless crumbles, or use 2 cans of rinsed and drained beans or cooked lentils instead of beef.
Variations
- Lean meat: If you’d like a leaner version, you can use a pound lean ground beef to replace the regular meat. You could also try different kinds of meat like lean ground pork, chicken, or turkey.
- Tomato sauce: For some extra tomato flavor, you can mix ½ cup of salsa or a can of tomato paste into the cheese blend.
- Bread crumb topping: You can add delicious crispy bread crumbs to the top of this mac and cheese comfort food dish. Just mix the cup of cheddar cheese with panko bread pieces before popping it in the oven to bake.
- Peppers: Add some extra Tex-Mex inspired veggies like green chiles, poblano chiles, jalapeños, or chili peppers to the beef mixture.
- Cheese mixture: Try a different variety of cheeses like pepper jack cheese, provolone, or Monterey Jack. You could also make the cheese sauce extra creamy by mixing in heavy cream, sour cream, or cream cheese.
- Beans: Add a rinsed can of pinto or black beans to give this Tex-Mex pasta recipe even more protein.
- Garnishes: Top with your favorite taco toppings such as sour cream, green onions, black olives, avocado slices, or chopped cilantro.
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Photos used in previous photos
This looks fantastic! I will come back and comment after I make it.