Taco-stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells plump full of seasoned ground beef, onions, salsa, cheddar, and Monterey Jack Cheese. They are then topped with another generous helping of cheese and baked to perfection.
Taco Stuffed Shells – A Twist on a Classic Dish
Looking for a delicious chicken lasagna recipe to impress your friends and family? Look no further! This step-by-step guide, complete with mouth-watering photos, will have you whipping up the best chicken lasagna in no time!
Top the dish with diced tomatoes, minced jalapeno, or any of your favorite taco toppings. This recipe is quick, easy, and always a huge hit with the family. It is so easy and delicious that you will want to make it again and again. If you like this tasty recipe, then you should try my Ricotta Stuffed Shells, Taco Spaghetti, Taco Casserole, and Walking Tacos.
How to make Taco Stuffed Shells
Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil. Cook the shells according to the package directions and drain well. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
Now add the taco seasoning and water to the ground beef mixture and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the salsa and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, stir in half of each cheese.
Then, spoon the seasoned taco meat mixture into the shells and lay them in a single layer in a casserole dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and minced jalapeno. Bake covered for about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. For best results, serve promptly.
Beth’s Recipe Tips
- For a little more kick, substitute minced serrano pepper for the jalapeno. Serrano peppers have a Scoville heat ranking between 5000 to 15000, while jalapenos have a Scoville heat ranking between 2000 to 5000.
- Any kind of tomato is great on top of these shells. I have used fire-roasted tomatoes, sliced grape tomatoes, and quartered cherry tomatoes with good success.
- Use my homemade taco seasoning with tons of flavor, from chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- For a change of pace, try ground turkey or ground pork.
- Wear gloves when mincing jalapenos or other hot peppers, or at the very least, do not touch your face and thoroughly wash your hands after handling the peppers. To tame the heat, remove the veins and seeds with a spoon.
- Don’t risk dropping the ground beef in the sink to drain the fat. Simply tilt the pan and use a paper towel to absorb the grease.
Can Taco Stuffed Shells be frozen?
Absolutely. I prefer to freeze it after it has been assembled and prior to baking. This way, the pasta shells maintain their texture and don’t become too dry from the double baking. So prepare the dish up to the point of baking. Then, cover the casserole dish tightly with several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30-40 minutes prior to baking to bring it to room temperature. Then, remove the plastic wrap and cover it with aluminum foil. Proceed with the baking directions as written.
To freeze after baking, cool the shells completely. Then, cover the casserole dish tightly with several layers of plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Cut two large slits in the plastic wrap and heat in the microwave at 50% power until heated through. The reduced power gives it time for the shells in the middle to heat all the way through before the shells on the outer edges of the casserole are overheated. Heat for about 4-6 minutes, depending on the microwave’s strength.
What to serve with Taco Stuffed Shells
- Homemade Lemonade
- Chips and salsa
- Avocado Dip
- Mexican street corn
- A small garden salad or Doritos Taco Salad
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarónes)
- Raspberry or watermelon sorbet
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or in the oven at 300 degrees with the casserole dish covered with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes or until warm.
Please see above for complete directions on freezing before baking and freezing after baking.
More Pasta Recipes To Love
Taco Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 20-24 jumbo shell pasta
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup salsa or salsa style tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes drained (or diced tomatoes)
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper finely minced
- green onion optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the shells according to package directions and drain well.
- Meanwhile, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When it is about halfway through the browning process, add the onion and continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. If needed, drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the taco seasoning and water to the ground beef mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salsa and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, stir in half of each cheese.
- Spoon the seasoned ground beef mixture into the shells and lay them in a single layer in the prepared dish. Top with the remaining cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and minced jalapeno. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with minced jalapeno or green onion. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- For a little more kick, substitute minced serrano pepper for the jalapeno. Serrano peppers have a Scoville heat ranking between 5000 to 15000, while jalapenos have a Scoville heat ranking between 2000 to 5000.
- Any kind of tomato is great on top of these shells. I have used fire-roasted tomatoes, sliced grape tomatoes, and quartered cherry tomatoes with good success.
- Use my homemade taco seasoning with tons of flavor, from chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- For a change of pace, try ground turkey or ground pork.
- Wear gloves when mincing jalapenos or other hot peppers, or at the very least, do not touch your face and thoroughly wash your hands after handling the peppers. To tame the heat, remove the veins and seeds with a spoon.
- Don’t risk dropping the ground beef in the sink to drain the fat. Simply tilt the pan and use a paper towel to absorb the grease.
Lydia J
I just made this and its all gone! It was so delicious! Loved these taco stuffed shells.
Jordyn
Super delish! It was a hit with the whole family and they asked me to make it again next week! Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Jordyn!
Sonia
What a great idea – so wholesome and a new family favorite! So delicious they are almost addicing. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Sonia!
Teagen
I made these stuffed shells for dinner last night and they were delicious! A fun twist on a classic!
Beth Pierce
I agree, Teagen!
Angela Gonzalez
These were so incredibly delicious! My new favorite way to make stuffed shells! So much flavor! Everyone loved them.
Dianne
Would you assemble all ingredients, then freeze or bake then freeze
Beth Pierce
Assemble all ingredients and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight or bake from frozen.
Teesa
Love this! Can’t wait to make these for my bunco group. The ladies are gonna flip over them!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Teesa! Enjoy!
Pam
I make this A LOT, I found that I can make 2 batches of about 26 shells in a 9×13 then I freeze one for the next week, we love them with a dollop of sour cream, thank you do much for this great recipe 😀
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Pam! I am so glad that you like the stuffed shells!
Valerie Carroll
I have made these several times and they are always a hit but my question is what would you serve with them
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Valerie! There are some ideas in the post.
Bev
I think corn on the cob would be great with this. I am making this for a freezer meal exchange group I am in and including frozen cooked corn on the cob with it. I need to make 7 batches to feed a family of 4 people each batch. They will love this
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Bev! I sure hope they like it.
Rosemarie
I like to serve a salad with it because you already have pasta and meat in the shells
I have been making a variation of this recipe for over 20 years and they still love it
Also for the last 5 mins of cook time i top it with tortilla chips and then put all the toppings on cheese, tomato, black beans, scallions, olives, jalapeño slices etc whatever I have in the house then let the cheese melt those last 5 and then serve with avacado or guac and sour cream and you have a nacho appetizer right on top
Always a crowd pleaser
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Rosemarie!
Cathy
This is a staple in our house. My husband always wants me to make extra for his lunch the next day. We really like this recipe!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much, Cathy! I am so glad that you and your husband like the stuffed shells!
Toni
Very inetersting! I have to admit I knew nothing about it. Now I feel smarter
Judy
Recipe sounds great although haven’t made it yet. Do you think you could make the stuffing and as an alternative put it in taco shells or even as a tortilla wrap?
Beth Pierce
Yes you could do that.
Yeah Lifestyle
I have just bookmarked your recipe and added giant taco pasta shells on my shopping list as I can’t wait to make this especially seeing that it can be frozen, so perfect weekday meal for the family on busy days
Lavanda Michelle
Taco Stuffed Shells are a favorite in my home. We never added shredded Monterey Jack cheese, but it turned out just as delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you liked them!
Rosey
I didn’t know they could be frozen. They take a bit to make so making extra and freezing some for later is a great idea.
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed!
Risa Lopez
Oh my! These were so good! I saved the recipe and I can not wait to make it again! Thank you for sharing.
Talya Stone
We are crazy about tacos here and love the twist using pasta shells here. They were so delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Claudia
This is the best. I no longer have to choose between Italian or Mexican food for dinner—this dish has it all.
Jen
Do you think chicken coukd be used instead of ground beef?
Beth Pierce
Yes just make sure the chicken is cooked before adding to the shells.
Mosaic Art
omg this looks incredibly good and it is very easy to do, thank you so much. I can’t wait to make your recipe.
Stephanie
Stuffed shells was one of my favorite meals growing up. I never thought to make them into taco stuffed shells, though! It’s such a great twist on one of my favorites and may become another favorite!
Pamela Loe
Do you have any suggestions for a side to have with this?
Beth Pierce
A simple salad would be great. Maybe a pared down version of a taco salad if that makes sense. Fresh lemonade or margaritas. Chips and salsa, stuffed jalapenos, or https://www.smalltownwoman.com/queso-fundido/.
Lisa
These are amazing! Every time I make them I have to make more than the time before because everyone wants them! My sons favorite as well!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lisa! I am so glad that everyone likes them!
Andrea
I am loving this recipe. The Taco filling was marvelous and it was perfect in these jumbo shells.
Holley
The perfect and comforting meal! The whole family loved it!
Sisley White - Sew White
So easy to make and so delicious too. We could eat these every day and not get bored of them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you liked them!
Cara
I love both pasta and tacos, so this meal was the perfect combination for me. Delicious!
JoAnn
Made this today for dinner and it was a hit, my husband loved it and so did I. Will be hitting our dinner rotations now. lol Thank you
Beth Pierce
My pleasure JoAnn! So glad that you and your husband liked it!
tweenselmom
That was really tasty and interesting to make! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. Next time I will top them with just a touch of sour cream.
Clarice
Wow! This looks really delicious. Your post made me crave some tacos. Would love to try your recipe. Hopefully, I can get the ingredients later. 🙂
Ntensibe Edgar
Oh wow! These must be truly nice. Anything that has “tacos” to it’s name joins my list of favourites! Thank you for sharing it.
Amanda
Do you think this could be prepared the night before and refrigerated til the next day and then cooked or would the pasta shells get soggy?
Beth Pierce
No I think it would be fine and delicious.
Cemore
Ingredients call for a can of Rotel, but I don’t see it in the instructions. Is it used in place of the diced tomatoes?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can used drained Rotel tomatoes, drained diced tomatoes, or even fresh diced tomatoes.
Claudia
My husband was not a big fan of pasta until now this is a great recipe I highly recommend
Beth Pierce
Thanks Claudia!
Dionne
Oh wow, these were insanely delicious. We really enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Tayler Ross
Two of my favorite meals combined into one! We had this for dinner last night and the whole family loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Taylor! So happy that the family liked it!
Toni
This was a really huge hit with my kids! I will make it again this weekend!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
My family LOVED this for dinner!! Such a genius idea!!
katerina
WOW! I am in love with these taco stuffed shells!! They are incredibly delicious!
Sandra
These were so good!! Quickly became a favorite at my house for dinner!
Krystle
My favorite version of stuffed shells yet. Our family ate almost the whole pan!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Krystle! So glad that you and your family liked them!
Juliane
Woah! Woah! Woah! These are so easy and delicious! My whole family enjoyed them!
Amanda
This is my kind of meal. My family is going to love this. I will be making it next week!