If you’re craving a delicious, hearty meal that packs a punch without hanging around the stove forever, this Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese Recipe is exactly what you need. It’s one pot, super comforting, and has just the right amount of kick to keep things interesting.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve made this dish more times than I can count because it’s so simple and satisfying. The creamy cheese sauce paired with that bold taco seasoning is like a warm hug on a plate, and the fact that it all cooks together in one pot? Total game-changer.
- One-Pot Wonder: Less mess and cleanup means more time to relax after dinner.
- Creamy, Cheesy Goodness: Using a combination of cheeses, including Velveeta, creates the creamiest sauce without any extra steps.
- Spicy with a Kick: The taco seasoning and Rotel tomatoes add just enough heat to keep your taste buds happy.
- Customizable & Flexible: You can swap meats, pasta shapes, or add veggies to make it just right for you.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese Recipe plays its role perfectly. The cheeses melt into a velvety sauce, the broth and tomato paste build depth, and the ground beef and taco spices bring that classic taco flavor in pasta form. Here’s what you’ll need and why:
- Cheddar cheese: Sharpness cuts through the creaminess, adding bold flavor.
- Monterey Jack cheese: Melts smoothly and balances the sharp cheddar.
- Velveeta cheese: The secret to that ultra creamy texture; cubes melt evenly throughout.
- Ground beef: Classic taco protein that adds savory depth.
- Butter: Used to sauté garlic and add richness.
- Garlic: Boosts aroma and flavor.
- Taco seasoning: The essential spice blend bringing that Mexican-inspired punch.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami and complexity.
- Tomato paste: Concentrates tomato flavor and thickens the sauce slightly.
- Beef and chicken broth: Provides body and keeps the pasta moist and flavorful.
- Whole milk: Helps create a creamy sauce base without being too heavy.
- Rotel tomatoes with green chilies: Adds acidity, flavor, and subtle heat.
- Medium pasta shells: The perfect shape to cradle that cheese sauce and bits of beef.
Make It Your Way
While I adore this recipe as is, I always love encouraging a little kitchen creativity. Feel free to swap out proteins or stir in extras to make it your own. This dish practically invites it!
- Variation: I’ve tried shredded chicken instead of ground beef when I want something lighter; just stir it in at the end to keep it tender and juicy.
- Veggie Boost: Sometimes I toss in chopped bell peppers or corn when they're in season, adding color and sweetness.
- Pasta swap: Bow ties or rotini work great if you want a different texture, but just adjust your cooking time based on the package.
- Heat level: Love it spicy? Add jalapenos or a dash of hot sauce; milder? Use mild Rotel or reduce the taco seasoning slightly.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese Recipe
Step 1: Prep the Cheeses
First things first — shred your cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses from blocks if you can. I find that freshly shredded melts so much better than bagged pre-shredded cheese, resulting in a smoother sauce. Set them aside near room temperature to make melting in the pot easier.
Step 2: Brown the Beef
Heat a large, sturdy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add your ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Once fully cooked, drain the excess fat to avoid greasy sauce. Trust me, this step makes a difference in flavor and texture.
Step 3: Sauté Garlic and Build Flavor
Using the same pot, melt the butter and toss in minced garlic, cooking just about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Then add all remaining ingredients except the cheese and pasta—this includes your taco seasoning, Worcestershire, tomato paste, both broths, milk, and Rotel. Stir everything together well.
Step 4: Cook the Pasta
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then add your pasta shells, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cover and let it cook according to the pasta package instructions (usually about 8-10 minutes). Halfway through, slide a silicone spatula along the bottom to prevent sticking and evenly distribute the ingredients.
Step 5: Finish with Cheese
Once your pasta is tender, remove the lid and taste a shell to make sure it’s just right. If needed, cook a little longer uncovered. Then, lower the heat to low and gradually stir in your shredded cheeses and Velveeta cubes until everything is beautifully melted and creamy. There will be plenty of sauce that thickens a bit as it rests.
Top Tip
Having cooked this recipe numerous times, I’ve learned a few tricks that help it turn out perfect every single time. These tips can save you from common pitfalls and make the whole process easier and more foolproof.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot: It helps distribute heat evenly and reduces the risk of pasta sticking or burning.
- Don’t skip draining the beef: Removing excess grease prevents a watery or oily sauce.
- Stir halfway during pasta cooking: This prevents sticking and ensures the pasta cooks evenly without clumping.
- Add cheeses off the heat: Low heat melting keeps the cheese glossy and prevents it from seizing up or separating.
How to Serve Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese Recipe
Garnishes
I love topping mine with fresh chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream (adds a cool contrast to the spice), and sliced green onions for a bit of crunch and color. Sometimes I even sprinkle a little extra cheddar on top for good measure because, hey, you can never have too much cheese!
Side Dishes
This pasta is pretty much a full meal on its own, but if you want to round it out, I usually serve it with a simple green salad or some roasted corn on the cob. Another favorite is crispy tortilla chips on the side for scooping up every last bit of sauce.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I’ve layered this pasta in a casserole dish, topped with extra cheese, and baked it just long enough to get that golden bubbly crust on top. It makes it feel extra festive and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store any leftover Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese in an airtight container in the fridge, and it keeps beautifully for 3-4 days. Because there’s plenty of sauce, reheating stays creamy instead of drying out.
Freezing
Freezing works too, but I recommend leaving out the cheese and stirring it in fresh after thawing. The texture holds up better that way, especially with the creamy sauce.
Reheating
To reheat, just warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk if it looks a little thick. Stir frequently to bring it back to creamy perfection without scorching.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can swap the ground beef for plant-based meat crumbles or simply use a mix of beans like black beans and corn for protein. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, and you’ll still get that spicy, cheesy goodness.
Medium pasta shells are fantastic because they hold onto the sauce really well, but you can use rotini, penne, or bow tie pasta. Just keep an eye on the cooking time since it varies by shape.
Yes! While cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Velveeta create the best creamy texture, you can experiment. Pepper Jack adds a little extra heat, or mozzarella can give a nice stretchiness. Just remember that block cheese melts better than pre-shredded for a silky sauce.
Definitely! The creamy cheese and pasta tend to be popular with kids. If you want to adjust the spice for little ones, you can reduce the taco seasoning or choose mild Rotel tomatoes.
Final Thoughts
This Spicy Taco Pasta with Creamy Cheese Recipe has become my go-to for busy weeknights or whenever I want that cozy feeling without a fuss. The blend of flavors, the easy one-pot method, and the rich, cheesy sauce make it a total winner. I know you’ll enjoy making it as much as I do — it’s like a little fiesta in your bowl that everyone will ask for again and again.
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Delicious Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This delicious one-pot Taco Pasta combines ground beef, a flavorful blend of cheeses, and classic taco seasonings with tender pasta shells all cooked together in a rich, creamy sauce. Perfect for an easy and comforting dinner that packs bold southwestern flavors.
Ingredients
Cheeses
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes (equal to ⅓ cup) or ¾ cup shredded cheese
Meat and Seasonings
- 1 lb. Ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 oz. packet Taco seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
Liquids and Veggies
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 cup Whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Pasta
- ½ lb. Medium pasta shells
Instructions
- Prepare Cheeses: Shred the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses from a block and set aside at room temperature for best melting.
- Cook Ground Beef: In a high-walled pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
- Sauté Garlic: Melt butter in the same pot and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, chicken broth, whole milk, and Rotel tomatoes with juices. Stir to combine well.
- Boil and Add Pasta: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add pasta shells and ensure they are submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook according to pasta package instructions, generally about 12-15 minutes. Halfway through cooking, gently slide a silicone spatula along the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Check Pasta Doneness: Remove the cover and taste a pasta shell to confirm it’s cooked to your liking. If undercooked, cover and cook a bit longer until desired tenderness is reached.
- Incorporate Cheese: Reduce heat to low. Gradually stir in the cheeses until fully melted and sauce is creamy.
- Serve: Once the sauce has thickened slightly and pasta has absorbed flavors, serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce; feel free to increase pasta amount slightly to soak it up better.
- You can use all chicken broth or all beef broth if preferred instead of a combination.
- Shredding cheese from blocks yields a creamier sauce compared to pre-shredded bagged cheese which melts less smoothly.
- Other pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or bow tie work well—adjust cooking time according to package.
- Diced or shredded chicken can replace ground beef but add it at the end of cooking to avoid toughness.
- Optional add-ins include corn, diced bell peppers, black beans, or jalapeños for extra flavor and texture.
- Try the Chicken Fajita Pasta recipe for another flavorful twist.
- This recipe appears in The Cozy Cookbook on page 160.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
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