Ground beef taco pasta recipes are one of those dinners that make complete sense the first time you make them and become a permanent weeknight staple from that point on. The taco seasoning does exactly what you want it to do in a pasta dish, coating every noodle in a savory, slightly spiced sauce that tastes like something far more involved than the 30 minutes it actually takes.
Jump to:
- What makes these recipes special?
- Top Tips
- Ninja Foodi Taco Pasta
- Taco Pasta
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Turkey Taco Pasta
- One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Beef Taco Pasta Recipe {Easy Family Dinner}
- Gluten Free Taco Pasta Salad (Paleo)
- Easy Instant Pot Taco Pasta Recipe
- The BEST Taco Pasta
- Taco Pasta Salad + Instant Pot Taco Pasta Salad
- The BEST Taco Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Comments
Ground beef taco pasta recipes work because the combination of seasoned meat, pasta, and melted cheese hits every comfort food note at once without requiring any complicated technique. The Ninja Foodi Taco Pasta from The Tasty Travelers is a pressure cooker version that gets everything done in one pot, the One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta from By Kelsey Smith leans into the melted cheese situation in the best way, and there are multiple Instant Pot versions throughout the list for anyone who wants hands-off cooking. Cold pasta salad versions are in here too, including a Gluten Free Taco Pasta Salad from Organically Addison that is also paleo-friendly.
What makes ground beef taco pasta such a reliable dinner is that the flavors are already familiar and deeply satisfying, and most versions come together in under 30 minutes with ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Whether you want a cheesy stovetop version, an Instant Pot dump-and-go situation, or a cold pasta salad you can make ahead, every version of taco pasta in this collection delivers the seasoned, saucy, satisfying result that makes this dish worth putting on the regular rotation.
Top Tips
- Season the ground beef before you add anything else to the pan. Brown it first, drain the excess fat, then add taco seasoning directly to the meat with a splash of water. Letting the seasoning cook into the beef for a minute or two before adding pasta or liquid builds a much deeper flavor throughout the whole dish.
- Cook the pasta in beef broth instead of water. Whether you are doing stovetop or Instant Pot, using broth instead of plain water adds a savory baseline to the noodles that you cannot get any other way. It sounds like a small thing but it makes a noticeable difference in the final dish.
- Do not skip the cheese at the end. Taco pasta needs a generous layer of shredded cheddar or Mexican blend stirred in while everything is still hot. The cheese melts into the sauce and thickens it, which is what gives you that creamy, coating texture that makes the dish feel finished instead of just seasoned pasta with beef on it.
- For Instant Pot versions, use slightly less liquid than you think you need. Taco pasta can turn mushy if the pasta overcooks, and different pasta shapes absorb at different rates. If the recipe calls for a specific pasta and you are swapping to something smaller, reduce the cook time by a minute and use the natural pressure release rather than quick release to avoid blowout.
- Pasta salad versions need to be dressed while warm. If you are making a cold taco pasta salad, toss the cooked pasta with the dressing right after draining while it is still warm so it absorbs the flavor. Dressing cold pasta after the fact leaves you with a salad where the pasta tastes plain and the dressing just sits on top.
Ninja Foodi Taco Pasta
Pressure cooked in the Ninja Foodi so the pasta absorbs the seasoned beef broth and comes out saucy all the way through. The Tasty Travelers builds this one right and it is done in under 30 minutes.
Photo credit: The Tasty Travelers
Taco Pasta
Chew Out Loud builds a stovetop taco pasta with well-seasoned ground beef and a creamy, cheesy sauce that coats every noodle. Solid weeknight dinner that hits every note without any fuss.
Photo credit: Chew Out Loud
Taco Pasta Salad
The Cookin Chicks builds a cold taco pasta salad with seasoned ground beef and all the toppings that make it feel like a full meal. Perfect for making ahead and serving at room temperature.
Photo credit: The Cookin Chicks
Instant Pot Turkey Taco Pasta
A Cedar Spoon swaps in turkey for a slightly lighter take on taco pasta that still delivers all the seasoned, saucy flavor. Instant Pot makes this one completely hands-off once the lid is on.
Photo credit: A Cedar Spoon
One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
By Kelsey Smith goes all in on cheese in a one-pot taco pasta that is rich, saucy, and done with minimal cleanup. The kind of dinner that disappears fast and gets requested again immediately.
Photo credit: By Kelsey Smith
Taco Pasta Salad
Mae's Menu builds a taco pasta salad with seasoned beef and a bold dressing that keeps the whole thing from tasting flat. A great make-ahead option for lunch or a dinner you can serve cold.
Photo credit: Mae's Menu
Beef Taco Pasta Recipe {Easy Family Dinner}
Simply Stacie keeps this one approachable and family-friendly with seasoned ground beef, pasta, and a sauce that everyone at the table will actually eat. Ready fast with no complicated steps.
Photo credit: Simply Stacie
Gluten Free Taco Pasta Salad (Paleo)
Organically Addison makes taco pasta salad work for paleo and gluten-free without anything feeling missing. Seasoned beef, the right pasta swap, and a dressing that actually delivers flavor.
Photo credit: Organically Addison
Easy Instant Pot Taco Pasta Recipe
By Kelsey Smith does taco pasta in the Instant Pot with ground beef and a saucy, well-seasoned result that is completely hands-off once the lid is locked. A different method from their one-pot version and worth having both.
Photo credit: By Kelsey Smith
The BEST Taco Pasta
The Kitchen Girl earns the "best" label with a taco pasta that is cheesy, saucy, and built with technique that keeps the noodles from getting mushy. A stovetop version that is reliable and genuinely satisfying.
Photo credit: The Kitchen Girl
Taco Pasta Salad + Instant Pot Taco Pasta Salad
Recipes From A Pantry gives you both a stovetop and an Instant Pot method in one place so you can choose based on what you have time for. Seasoned beef, cold pasta, and a bold dressing that holds up well overnight.
Photo credit: Recipes From A Pantry
The BEST Taco Pasta Salad
Simply Stacie builds a cold taco pasta salad that is loaded and well-dressed, a completely different direction from their hot taco pasta and just as worth saving. Perfect for potlucks and meal prep alike.
Photo credit: Simply Stacie
Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Cooking with Curls pressure cooks taco pasta in the Instant Pot with seasoned beef and a saucy, cheesy result that comes together fast. Minimal cleanup and a dinner that is ready before you would have even boiled the water on the stovetop.
Photo credit: Cooking with Curls
Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Budget Delicious builds an Instant Pot taco pasta that is designed to be affordable and filling without skimping on flavor. Seasoned ground beef, pasta cooked in the pot, and a result that works on a tight budget and a tight schedule.
Photo credit: Budget Delicious
Similar recipes...
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Comments
No Comments