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.
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, and pizza burgers.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground Beef: For optimal flavor, use ground beef with a bit of fat. It cooks up more tender and flavorful. Ground turkey or ground pork also works well with this recipe.
- Rotel tomatoes: You can substitute diced tomatoes and a 4-ounce can of green chiles for the Rotel tomatoes.
- Taco seasoning: 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.
- Spaghetti noodles: Other pasta that works with this recipe includes thin spaghetti, rotini, penne, elbow macaroni, cavatappi, or rigatoni.
- Cheese: I use a mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese but you can use a Mexican blend cheese.
How to Make Taco Spaghetti
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
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.
Preparation Tips
- 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.
- Add small amounts of beef broth if needed to keep the pasta covered.
- 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.
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.
More Ground Beef Recipes
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
- 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.
- Add small amounts of beef broth if needed to keep the pasta covered.
- 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.
Nutrition
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Michelle
This looks like such a delicious family meal, I’d love to try this out tonight. Spaghetti is such a great and easy-to-make dish, taco meat is the perfect addition!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! Enjoy!