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Effortless Cheesy Taco Pasta
You need to try this simple dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes. Creamy cheesy shells loaded with ground beef and all those taco flavors—what’s not to love? It’s the kind of comfort food you'll want to make again and again. The sauce hugs the pasta shells and every bite tastes like a cozy taco night.
Why You’ll Love This Pasta
This is basically mac and cheese mashed up with tacos. Most of the stuff is probably hanging out in your kitchen already. Super easy to customize for picky eaters at home and it’s a dinner saver when you’re short on time.
Stuff You'll Need
- Creamy Dream: Cream cheese adds that rich, smooth touch.
- Extra Cheesy: Shredded cheese—grab your favorite.
- The Meat: Ground beef (lean is yummy and less greasy).
- Taco Time: Any taco seasoning you like does the trick.
- The Base: Pasta shells, medium or small, work best to scoop up the sauce.
- Just a Splash: Water helps everything blend together.
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How To Throw It Together
- Bring It Together
- Dump in your cooked pasta add a heap of cheese slide into a dish cover with extra cheese and bake until it’s melty and hot.
- Make It Creamy
- Chop up the cream cheese drop it in with the beef keep stirring till it’s gooey and smooth.
- Start Cooking
- Boil your pasta first brown beef drain then season with taco mix and splash of water let it do its thing for a bit.
Mix Things Up
Try different pasta shapes swap in ground turkey or go spicy with a hotter taco mix. Sometimes I add black beans tomatoes or chopped peppers. And don’t forget toppings—toss on green onions sour cream or even crunchy tortilla chips if you want.
Leftover Bliss
Stash leftovers in your fridge for up to three days and just nuke them to warm up. Freezing? No problem—it’ll stay good for three months. Thaw overnight when you’re in the mood for it again.
Good-To-Know Shortcuts
Use any kind of cream cheese—regular or light depending how rich you want it. Got extra taco meat from earlier in the week? Toss it in to speed things up. Want to prep ahead? You can make this and just bake right before eating.
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Common Questions
- → What type of pasta works best?
Penne, rotini, or shells do a great job grabbing that sauce. Honestly, any short pasta you have nearby will work.
- → Can I use lower fat ground beef?
Lean beef is fine if you want it lighter. Just know the sauce might be a bit less rich than with 80/20.
- → How do I prevent the cream cheese from clumping?
Let it warm up first and cube it small. Mix it in little by little, stirring while it melts into the sauce.
- → Can I make this ahead?
Yep! Store leftovers up to 3 days. To make it creamy again, just add a splash of milk when you reheat.
- → What can I add for extra flavor?
Toss in some black beans, corn, or tomato chunks. Toss on cilantro, jalapeño, or crushed chips before serving if you want.