This Taco Pasta is your answer to "what's for dinner?" on the busiest of weeknights. With ground beef and store bought short cuts like taco sauce and garlic herb cream cheese this dish comes together easily in just 15 minutes. It's got all the flavors of tacos but in pasta form - less mess, and less stress.
Taco Flavors, but So Much Simpler
I love tacos and everything about them - except the mess. They're messy to make, messy to serve, and messy to eat.
Enter: taco pasta.
All the taco flavor, none of the mess. So you can have those flavors you crave on the busiest of weeknights, with minimal prep and minimal clean-up. (Just like with my easy taco casserole and walking taco casserole!)
I love how fast this dish comes together: it's all done in 15 minutes, or less. Just about the time it takes to cook the pasta! And the flavor is incredible thanks to seasoned cream cheese - and a nice pop of fresh flavor from the tomatoes.
This is a dish the whole family will love, and you can easily adjust the spice level so it suits everyone.
Store Bought Shortcuts Make This Dinner Lightning FAST
What Cream Cheese to Use
Using a flavored cream cheese makes this so easy because we don't need to add a lot of extra seasonings. I opted for a garlic and herb version which goes great with the other taco flavors, but you can also use something more along the tomato or paprika route. Or use a natural flavored cream cheese, and add a bit of garlic powder and paprika powder instead.
Make It Vegetarian (or just different)
You can easily make this vegetarian by using black beans or a vegetarian ground "beef" instead of ground beef. You'll still get all that amazing taco flavor!
You can also use a different kind of ground meat like ground pork, turkey, or chicken.
Add Your Favorites
Missing your favorite taco topping? Just add it! Some good options are corn, chopped onion, chopped jalapeños, chopped bell peppers and black olives.
If you want the additions to soften (could be the case for onion or bell peppers), add them with the ground beef. If you want them to keep their texture, add them with the cherry tomatoes.
Adjust the Spice Level
You can make this as mild or spicy as you like, just use an appropriate taco sauce. To make it extra spicy, add chopped jalapeños or use an extra spicy habanaero taco sauce. To make it extra mild, swap half the taco sauce for crushed tomatoes.
You can also use less taco seasoning if you want to make it milder, depending on how spicy the seasoning you use is.
How to Make This Dinner in 15 Minutes or Less
Before you get started on the sauce, make sure you've got the pasta going. The sauce is done FAST so you want the pasta ready to go when it's finished.
1. Sear & Simmer
Sear ground beef until browned, then add taco seasoning and taco sauce. Mix and simmer a few minutes.
2. Make It Cheesy
Add cream cheese and mix and simmer until it's melted and well mixed with the ground beef.
3. Make It a Meal
Mix in pasta with a bit of pasta cooking water, followed by cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Taste test, season with salt and pepper if needed, and serve!
Tips For Best Results
Cook pasta and sauce at the same time. This way you save time and ensure the pasta is just done when added to the sauce.
Use store bought ingredients. This dish is really made to be quick, easy, simple, comfort food - nothing fancy, just good flavors. No need to make your own taco seasoning or taco sauce for this! But, of course, you can do this as well - and if you already have it, this is a great way to use it up.
Use a large enough pan. Make sure the pan you make the sauce in has room for all the pasta as well. We don't want any unnecessary dishes!
Don't skip the pasta water. This helps the sauce coat the pasta perfectly.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
This dish is great for leftovers!
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1-minute increments, mixing between each segment.
What To Serve With It
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips13 Minutes
- Ranch Coleslaw15 Minutes
- Classic Vegan Guacamole10 Minutes
- Caulislaw - Raw Cauliflower Salad [Coleslaw Style]10 Minutes
More Easy 15-Minute Dinners
- 10-Minute Lemon Ricotta Pasta10 Minutes
- Buffalo Shrimp10 Minutes
- One Pot Hummus Pasta [vegan]12 Minutes
- Shrimp Carbonara10 Minutes
Recipe
Creamy Taco Pasta (Ready in 15 Minutes!)
Print RateIngredients
- 12 oz pasta
- ¼ cup pasta cooking water
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 tablespoon taco seasoning store bought or homemade
- 1 8 oz jar taco sauce I like hot; use what suits you
- 1 cup garlic and herb flavored cream cheese see notes for other options
- 1.5 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half; or chopped regular tomatoes
- ½ loosely packed cup chopped cilantro
To serve (optional)
- shredded cheese
- cilantro
Instructions
- Get the pasta cooking in heavily salted water and cook according to package instructions. When done, drain but reserve some of the pasta water.12 oz pasta
- Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium-high heat then add in ground beef. Cook 3-5 minutes until browned, then add taco seasoning and cook 1 more minute while mixing.1 lb ground beef, 4 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- Add salsa and simmer 2 minutes over medium heat.1 8 oz jar taco sauce
- Add cream cheese and mix and simmer until melted and combined with the rest of the ingredients.1 cup garlic and herb flavored cream cheese
- Mix in cooked pasta and pasta water.¼ cup pasta cooking water
- Mix in cherry tomatoes.1.5 cup cherry tomatoes
- Turn off the heat and mix in cilantro.½ loosely packed cup chopped cilantro
- Serve as it is or topped with shredded cheese and some extra cilantro.shredded cheese, cilantro
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Frying pan
- Measuring cups
Video
Notes
Cream Cheese
If you don't want to use garlic herb cream cheese you can use a different kind, either a different seasoning (paprika or tomato are also good), or use a natural cream cheese and add 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and paprika powder. Or a different seasoning of your choice!Alternatives to Ground Beef
Vegetarian: Use black beans or a vegetarian ground "beef". Non-vegetarian: Use a different kind of ground meat like ground pork, turkey, or chicken. ÂAdd Additional Ingredients
Missing your favorite taco topping? Just add it! Some good options are corn, chopped onion, chopped jalapeños, chopped bell peppers and black olives. If you want the additions to soften (could be the case for onion or bell peppers), add them with the ground beef. If you want them to keep their texture, add them with the cherry tomatoes. ÂAdjust the Spice Level
You can make this as mild or spicy as you like, just use an appropriate taco sauce. To make it extra spicy, add chopped jalapeños or use an extra spicy habanaero taco sauce. To make it extra mild, swap half the taco sauce for crushed tomatoes. You can also use less taco seasoning if you want to make it milder, depending on how spicy the seasoning you use is. ÂStoring, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
This dish is great for leftovers! Storing:Â Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezing:Â Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheating in microwave:Â Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1-minute increments, mixing between each segment.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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