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Taco Spaghetti is an easy one-pot meal that combines seasoned ground beef, tangy tomatoes, and taco seasoning with spaghetti, all topped with melted cheese and fresh cilantro. Ready in 30 minutes, this is the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
For more taco flavor, try my One Pot Taco Mac and Cheese or Turkey Taco Stuffed Shells.
Why I Love This Recipe
- 30 Minute Meal – I love how fast taco spaghetti is to make! Only 5 minutes of prep time and ready start to finish in only 30 minutes.
- One Pot Dinner – Even the spaghetti is cooked all in the same pot as the taco beef to make clean up super easy.
- Easy Ingredients – It uses under 10 simple, easy to find ingredients and you may even have most on hand.
recipe walkthrough
How To Make Taco Spaghetti
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
One pot pasta recipes are a great hack to make a filling pasta recipe without having to cook the noodles in a second pot.
Cook Beef and Onion – In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef and onion while crumbling the meat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
Add – Drain the excess fat, if desired, and add the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes (undrained), uncooked spaghetti, and water.
Boil and Cook Pasta – Bring the pot to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook until the noodles are tender. It’s best to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Add Cheese – Remove from heat, top with 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese and ¼ cup cilantro. Stir until the cheese is melted into the spaghetti.
Serve – Serve the pasta with the rest of the cheese and cilantro on top and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
While this recipe can be served on its own for a simple meal, you can also add sides to round out the meal and serve a big family. Go simple with a green salad, or lean into the taco flavors by pairing with Mexican-inspired side dishes like a Mexican Street Corn Salad, Fresh Corn Salad with Tomatoes, or a simple black bean and corn salad.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
While it’s best eaten fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a bit of water, if needed to loosen things up.
You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recipe Tips
- Spice Level – The spice level is moderate, but you can adjust it by using mild taco seasoning or adding hot sauce to taste. You can also add diced jalapeno peppers when cooking the onion.
- Other Ground Meat – You can swap in other ground meat for the beef such as turkey, chicken, meatless crumbles, or even chorizo.
- Toppings – Enjoy with your favorite taco toppings such as diced tomatoes, sour cream, or avocado.
- Stir Frequently – Because the pasta is going to absorb most of the liquid (vs draining off water when cooking pasta the traditional way), you want to give it a stir frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
More Spaghetti Recipes
Taco Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pound Lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup Chopped onion
- 1 Garlic clove minced
- 1 ounce Package taco seasoning
- 10 ounces Canned tomatoes with chiles undrained
- 8 ounces Spaghetti noodles uncooked
- 3 cups Water
- 3 cups Shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 cup Chopped cilantro divided
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and chopped onion, cooking until fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Drain excess fat and return the meat mixture to the pan. Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, spaghetti noodles, and water.
- Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to a slow simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat, top with 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese and ¼ cup cilantro. Stir until the cheese is melted into the spaghetti.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and cilantro on top.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
