This Weeknight Beef Taco Pasta is the perfect dinner for busy days. An easy dinner recipe for feeding the family packed with taco flavor perfection!
If you love pasta recipes like we do, try our Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta too.
Easy Taco Pasta Recipe
Having quick and easy dinner recipes on hand is a MUST when you’ve got lots going on during the weekdays. Having three boys, I know how important it is to have great pasta recipes that I can whip up in no time.
This quick fix pasta quickly became a family favorite. My boys went nuts for it. All of your favorite beef taco ingredients into a fun pasta dish. Get creative and add your own favorite ingredients. Corn kernels, black olives, shredded cheese, sour cream are all great options.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy To Make. I love quick and easy dinner recipes. You’ll be able to make this recipe in under 30 minutes!
- Great Flavor. This pasta is packed with so many great flavors. It’s a winner!
Try my Weeknight Creamy Sausage Pasta for another great weekday option! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this quick and easy taco pasta recipe. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details.
- Small Pasta-I like to use the small elbow pasta shape, any small pasta works great.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Olive oil or avocado oil is used to cook the onion, garlic and beef.
- White Onion– Finely chop the onion before sauteeing.
- Minced Garlic– Fresh minced garlic is added to give another layer of flavor to the beef as it cooks.
- Ground Beef– Use a good quality lean ground beef for the recipe.
- Salt and Pepper– I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for my recipes.
- Taco Seasoning– Use your favorite taco seasoning.
- Chopped Green Chilies– Green chilies add a nice layer of flavor to the ground beef.
- Cherry Tomatoes– Half cherry tomatoes to add to the taco pasta.
- Green onion– Green onions are chopped and added to the pasta for another layer of flavor.
- Cilantro– Fresh chopped cilantro adds freshness and color to the pasta.
How To Make Taco Pasta
Cook Pasta. Heat 5 quart dutch oven or pot full of water over medium heat. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Saute Veggies and Cook Beef. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in ground beef, salt and pepper cooking until crumbled and browned.
Add Pasta To Meat. Add cooked pasta back to dutch oven, stir in beef mixture, taco seasoning, chilies, tomatoes, green onions and cilantro.
Serve. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Careful Not To Overcook Pasta. When cooking pasta, I like to undercook by one minute. Should be al dente, not too soft.
- Use Good Quality Beef. I like to get a good quality lean ground beef for best tasting results.
How To Serve
Serve taco pasta warm in individual serving bowls. Salad is a great addition if you’re looking for a side.
Leftovers
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating Instructions
Reheat pasta in a heat proof bowl loosely covered in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or until hot.
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Weeknight Beef Taco Pasta
Equipment
- Stove
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- colander
- cutting board
- chef knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry small pasta of your choice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 packet taco Seasoning
- 1 can green chilies chopped
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat 5 quart dutch oven or pot full of water over medium heat. Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened. Add ground beef, salt and pepper cooking until crumbled and browned.
- Add cooked pasta back to dutch oven, stir in beef mixture, taco seasoning, chilies, tomatoes, green onions and cilantro. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.