Easy Taco Mexican Pasta Recipe (One Pot Meal) (2024)

An easy meal idea that takes under 30 minutes, this Taco Mexican Pasta Recipe will be everyone’s favorite weeknight meal. Made with a delicious mix of ingredients!

This creamy pasta has variations to achieve the right flavor and texture for all taste buds. Picky eaters included, no one turns down this Mexican Pasta Recipe!

Mexican spaghetti is one of our favorite weeknight dinners, and we adore it, everyone just gobbles it up, and it makes for great leftovers the next day.

I love how the flavors keep getting deeper and deeper the longer they sit, but that is just a personal preference of mine!

The amazing part of this taco pasta recipe is that you can easily customize the meal so that it suits anyone’s taste buds.

This is one of the best “picky eater” food options for big families.

This cheesy taco pasta is so versatile that you can use it as a family meal idea, special event side dish, or casserole to serve a large group of friends.

The delightful flavor combination of beef with sour cream and tomato sauce combines deliciously with the toppings of your choice.

I highly recommend you try this Mexican Pasta Recipe in your household soon. Perfect for busy weeknights.

Some of my favorite pasta dishes that we have on the site include: Chicken Alfredo Bake, Thai Drunken Noodles, and Pizza Pasta Bake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

• Using minimal ingredients, this great recipe is easy to put together.
• Easy taco pasta is on the table in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
• It feeds a crowd, and you can easily double or triple the recipe.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

• Lean ground beef
• Taco seasoning packet or your own taco seasoning
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Ground cumin
• Canned tomato sauce
• Sour cream
• Spaghetti noodlesor pasta noodles of your choice
• Your favorite taco toppings – cheddar cheese, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, olives, green onions, etc.

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN PASTA RECIPE:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef to the pan, brown, and crumble the meat until just cooked through. Drain any excess grease from the meat.
2. Add the taco seasoning packet, onion powder, garlic powder, and the ground cumin. Stir to coat the meat. Cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the tomato sauce to the taco meat and stir to combine.Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.

1. Cook and drain pasta.
2. Stir in the sour cream to the sauce, add the pasta, and stir to coat. Serve with your favorite taco toppings like more sour cream, cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, sliced olives, etc.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS DISH?

I’m glad you asked! There are so many options to serve with it.

To our family, it is perfect on its own after you add whatever topping you prefer. But, you can add a side dish if desired.

You can serve this with a simple side garden salad, seasoned black beans, tortilla chips with fresh salsa, and avocado salsa, or enjoy it on its own.

The toppings complete this taco pasta recipe without adding anything else to your meal.My Roasted Peppers would also be a great side!

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Yes! Here are my suggestions:

• Spaghetti noodles – use pasta shells, mini bow ties, or elbow macaroni
• In place of ground beef – ground chicken, ground turkey, or even ground pork will work
• Instead of store-bought taco seasoning, use your favorite homemade taco seasoning
• If you want to switch out the sour cream in the sauce, add heavy cream or cream cheese to make a creamy sauce

WHAT IS IN THIS ONE-PAN MEXICAN PASTA RECIPE?

That’s a great question! So, there are different variations of this recipe out there.

My Taco Pasta Recipe includes the following ingredients:

• Spaghetti Noodles
• Ground Beef
• Sour cream
• Ground cumin, garlic powder, taco seasoning mix, and onion powder.
• Tomato sauce

Mixing all of these ingredients is what makes my delicious creamy taco pasta recipe for the entire family to enjoy time and time again.

ANY ADDITIONS?

For an extra kick, you can add ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder and a pinch of red pepper flakes to make it a bit spicier.

When you really think about it, this dish opens the doors for the whole family to enjoy many customizable options.

Here are some more ingredients ideas to add:

• Bell pepper – any color will do
• More cheese – Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack

HOW TO STORE:

This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3-4 days. It can be stored before or after the pasta has been added.

How to freeze pasta sauce with meat:

Place cooled sauce into an airtight container or freezer-proof bag. Place in the freezer until frozen solid.Pasta sauce will last in the freezer for four to six months.

To defrost, place the sauce into a small saucepot over low heat and cook slowly until the sauce defrosts. Bring to a simmer and finish with your choice spaghetti noodles or pasta.

Or, you can place the container into the fridge and let it slowly defrost that way, it may take a couple days.

How to freeze pasta with sauce:

Once you mix the pasta with the taco sauce, let it cool down completely.

You can now follow the same steps as freezing pasta sauce with meat.

Place the sauced pasta into an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag. Place into the freezer until frozen.Pasta with sauce will last in the freezer from two to three months.

Defrosting pasta with sauce is best done slowly in the fridge over the course of a couple days, or in the oven.Preheat the oven to 350°F, place the frozen pasta with sauce into a greased baking dish covered with foil.

Cook until the pasta is no longer frozen and is heated completely through. Make sure to check the dish every 10 minutes or so, and stir to make sure there is no scorching.

To be safe, check the pasta’s internal temperature to ensure it reaches 165°F.

Want the perfect dinner recipe? Then you need to make this Mexican Pasta Recipe ASAP. It is easy, delicious, and tasty!

If you’ve tried this MEXICAN PASTA RECIPElet me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Originally posted 02/26/2019

Updated with new photos and text 05/2023