This quick and easy Taco Spaghetti is loaded with flavor from ground beef, onion, Rotel tomatoes, and taco seasoning. The dish is topped with a healthy amount of cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro.
So Easy Taco Spaghetti
Spice up your pasta night with this delicious taco spaghetti recipe! Made in just one pot, it’s a quick and easy meal the whole family will love. This is easily doable for weeknights, and clean-up is a breeze. If you like this recipe, try some of my other easy dinner recipes, like Mexican pizza, bruschetta chicken, pizza burgers, and chicken mushrooms pasta.
How to Make Taco Spaghetti
Start by browning the ground beef in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. When the beef is about halfway browned, add the onions and continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
Increase the heat to medium and add the Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the spaghetti. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the spaghetti is tender, scraping the bottom of the pan several times and stirring several times. Remove from the heat and top with both kinds of shredded cheese. Place a lid on the pot and let the cheese melt for several minutes. Remove the lid, stir in the cheese, and top with chopped cilantro.
Beth’s Recipe Tips
- For optimal flavor, use ground beef with a bit of fat. It cooks up more tender and flavorful.
- Instead of trying to drain the fat from the pot and risking dumping the beef, tilt the pot on its end and use a paper towel to soak up the excess.
- For optimum flavor, use my homemade taco seasoning, which is made with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ground cayenne pepper.
- Ground turkey or ground pork also works well with this recipe.
- You can substitute fire-roasted tomatoes for the Rotel tomatoes.
- Other pasta that works with this recipe includes thin spaghetti, rotini, penne, elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or rigatoni.
- Add small amounts of beef broth if needed to keep the pasta covered.
Recipe Variations
- Top each serving with your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, black olives, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocados, black beans, salsa, corn, jalapenos, or Pico de Gallo.
- Turn the heat up with green chiles, minced jalapeno, serrano peppers, or ground cayenne pepper.
- Try using ground turkey, pork, or chicken.
- Change up the cheese with a good quality Mexican cheese blend, Pepper Jack Cheese, Queso Chihuahua, or Queso Quesadilla.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power for short increments until warm or in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat until warm.
More Ground Beef Recipes
One-Pot Taco Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. When the beef is about halfway browned, add the onions and continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the spaghetti is tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot several times and stir frequently.-
- Remove from the heat and top with both cheeses. Place a lid on the pot and let the cheese melt for several minutes. Remove the lid, stir the cheese in, and top with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- For optimal flavor, use ground beef with a little fat. It cooks up more tender and flavorful.
- ProTip – Instead of trying to drain the fat out of the pot and risk dumping the beef, tilt the pot on its end and use a paper towel to soak up the excess.
- For optimum flavor, use my homemade taco seasoning made with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ground cayenne pepper.
- Ground turkey or ground pork also works well with this recipe.
- You can substitute fire-roasted tomatoes for the Rotel tomatoes.
- Other kinds of pasta that work with this recipe include thin spaghetti, rotini, penne, elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or rigatoni.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
Nutrition
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MissyG
Yummy! I will be making this again 🙂
I decided to make this last minute and didn’t have some of the exact ingredients but I made it work. I don’t keep broth in the house so I used Better Than Bouillon paste and water; part Beef and part Chicken because I didn’t have enough Beef. I even added a bit more of the bouillon paste in the end to give the flavor an extra boost. It tasted great without the boost too though. I had just enough Cheddar but no Monterey Jack so I added Velveeta. I know, I know, some of y’all are probably cringing right now. But hey, it’s what I had lol! Next time I will make sure to have the proper cheeses for sure. I also used Cavatappi pasta since I was out of spaghetti. It all worked out and tasted really good! I loved only using one pot too.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Missy! I am so glad that you liked and that you were able to improvise with what you had on hand!
Tammy
A fun weeknight dinner for the family. This was so delicious and easy to throw together! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth.
Sue
Taco Spaghetti – a flavor-packed fusion of ground beef, onion, Rotel tomatoes, and taco seasoning, all in one pot! Topped generously with cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and cilantro, it’s a weeknight dinner dream. Quick, easy, and minimal cleanup. Delicious and efficient – what more could you ask for?
Beth Pierce
Well said, Sue. I could not agree more. Enjoy!
Fatima
I’d love to try this with ground turkey! My husband prefers it over regular meat.
Lisa
I love one pot pasta recipes! This was quick, tasty, and easy enough for a even a new cook. Thanks for sharing, Beth!
Karen
This is the first time I hear of Taco Spaghetti and I can’t be more excited about it!!! This looks SO DELICIOUS!!! I am making it for sure, thank you so so much.
Catie
All the flavors of taco in one pasta dish! Quick, easy, and delicious.
Eric
Such a satisfying dish! That is definitely a keeper.
Amanda
What a fantastic recipe! Love this idea, thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Amanda!
Justine
Loved this! So easy, tasted great – my kids asked me to make it again next week!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Justine! So glad that they liked the Taco Spaghetti! Kids can be hard to please!
Nathan
I have to try this immediately, absolutely love the idea of combining the flavor of tacos with a classic spaghetti dish! Looks nice and easy to make as well. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Nathan! Enjoy!
Julie C.
This was a fun taco Tuesday recipe that was different but nonetheless delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Julie! So glad that you liked it!
Anthony
What a great idea! The kids and I absolutely loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Anthony!
Nikki
What a marvelous pasta dish. Full of fabulous Mexican flavors, hearty and comforting. Perfect for a weeknight meal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Nikki! So glad that you enjoyed it.