Cheesy Taco Pasta (Printable)

Tender pasta with seasoned beef and creamy cheddar sauce for a quick Tex-Mex meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Pasta

04 - 8 oz short pasta (penne, shells, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
08 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Liquids

10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth

→ Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

14 - Chopped fresh cilantro
15 - Sliced green onions
16 - Sour cream

# Preparation steps:

01 - Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a spoon for about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
03 - Sprinkle taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the beef mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Add canned corn, black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, pasta, and broth to the skillet. Stir to mix all ingredients evenly.
05 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses over the pasta, cover, and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts.
07 - Gently stir the melted cheese into the pasta. Serve warm, topped with optional cilantro, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely one-pot magic—no juggling multiple pans while everyone waits hungrily.
  • The pasta cooks right in the sauce, soaking up all those Tex-Mex flavors instead of tasting bland and separate.
  • Your kids will actually eat their vegetables because they're hidden in something cheesy and delicious.
  • From start to finish, you're looking at 35 minutes, which means dinner happens before the evening falls apart.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef properly—those caramelized edges are what make it taste like something intentional rather than boiled.
  • The pasta releases starch as it cooks, thickening the sauce naturally, so you don't need cream or cornstarch or any fussy tricks.
  • If your pasta finishes cooking but there's still too much liquid, uncover it and let it simmer another minute or two—it'll absorb quickly once the pasta is tender.
03 -
  • Cook the pasta slightly underdone before it goes into the pot—it'll finish absorbing liquid and soften completely during the simmer, so you avoid mushy pasta by the time you serve it.
  • If your broth is particularly salty, go light on added salt and taste at the end; the cheese will season it further as it melts.
  • Make this in a Dutch oven or deep skillet with a lid you trust—the right vessel makes the whole process feel less precarious.
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