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This 30-minute taco spaghetti recipe is a cheesy one pot meal for the whole family to enjoy! It has all your favorite taco flavors in a satisfying and cozy pasta dish.
Try my Creamy Taco Soup or Taco Stuffed Shells next for similar tasty flavors.
Why you’ll love it
Adults and kids alike will enjoy this taco spaghetti recipe. The meaty cream cheese tomato sauce is irresistible, and you get pasta night and taco night all in one tasty meal! It’s savory and creamy, perfectly seasoned, and simple to throw together with easy clean-up.
This cheesy taco spaghetti recipe is a low-effort meal that’s a creative and simple way to use budget-friendly ground beef. It’s also the best way to get those taco flavors you crave! We’ve got a homemade seasoning blend that’s a cinch to make and is super flavorful.
What you’ll need
- Beef – we’re using lean ground beef
- Seasoning – our homemade spice mix has chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Beef broth – for even more savory depth
- Tomatoes – we’re using Rotel tomatoes with green chilies for a little kick
- Cream cheese – it adds a little tanginess and coolness. It’s got sour cream vibes, which is a must-have with tacos!
- Spaghetti – it’s great with meat-based sauces
- Cheese – we top it all off with Mexican blend cheese
- Scallions – I love the pop of freshness they give
Pro tip
As with any one pot recipe, stoves and pots all vary, so cooking times are a guideline and you may need to adjust; e.g., if you find the pasta isn’t quite cooked yet and the liquid is getting too low, add a splash more beef broth.
How to make taco spaghetti
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Brown the beef in a soup pot or Dutch oven, and drain any excess fat if needed. Stir in the homemade taco seasoning blend. Add the broth, Rotel, and cream cheese to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring in the cream cheese.
Once boiling, add in the spaghetti. Maintain a constant simmer. Once al dente, sprinkle in the cheese and scallions. Turn the burner off and let it sit for another few minutes until the cheese melts and the pasta soaks up more of the sauce. Season with salt & pepper as desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use my trusty Staub Dutch oven to make this taco pasta.
- This melamine cooking spoon won’t scratch your cookware.
- A pair of kitchen tongs makes it easy to toss the spaghetti and sauce.
- I store uncooked spaghetti in an airtight pasta container.
Substitutions and variations
- While this recipe isn’t too spicy, if you need to make it completely mild, use Mild Rotel and ensure the chili powder you’re using isn’t spicy.
- This recipe has only been tested with spaghetti. If using a different pasta shape, you may need to experiment a bit/adjust liquid measurements.
- You may use a packet of taco seasoning instead of the suggested spices.
What to serve with taco spaghetti
- A salad makes a great pairing. Spring mix with my Chipotle Ranch Dressing is a zesty complement, or go all out and make a Caesar salad with my 10 Minute Caesar Dressing (No Blender) and Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- You’ll also want to serve it with chips and my restaurant-style Homemade Guacamole.
Leftovers and storage
- This dish is best fresh, and the spaghetti will continue to soak up the sauce the longer it sits, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days if needed.
- Reheat over a low heat until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Cooked pasta and dairy generally don’t freeze well.
More easy pasta recipes
If you made this one pot taco spaghetti recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! Ask any questions not answered above. Find me on Instagram as well.
One Pot Taco Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philly) softened
- 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a pot/Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook until just browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along (about 7-8 minutes). Spoon out excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Add the beef broth, Rotel, and cream cheese to the pot, and increase the heat to high. Stir to mix the cream cheese in, but it's ok if it's not fully melted in by the time it boils.
- Once boiling, add in the spaghetti and cook for 12 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. You will need to turn the heat down at some point to maintain a constant simmer (medium or even medium-low) so it's bubbling but not furiously boiling.
- Turn the burner off (but leave the pot where it is). Sprinkle the cheese and scallions over top and close the lid for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and more of the liquid absorbs. This recipe should have quite a bit of sauce.
- Season with salt & pepper if needed and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Troubleshooting tip: every pot/stove varies, so cooking times are a guideline and you may need to adjust on the fly. For example, if you find the pasta isn’t quite cooked yet and the liquid is getting too low, add a splash more beef broth. If there’s still too much liquid at the end of cooking time and/or the pasta isn’t yet cooked, give it a little longer. The pasta will absorb more liquid the longer it sits.
- You can use a packet of taco seasoning if you don’t want to use the individual spices.
- To quickly soften the cream cheese, microwave it for 30 seconds or so.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Use way less broth for the creamy texture!
Hi! Maybe you didn’t cook it at a high enough simmer? The liquid should mostly absorb.
This was so good and easy! I love your 1 pot pasta meals…I used ground turkey, a packet of taco seasoning, and shells instead of spaghetti for the pasta. Delicious!
Thank you, Lucy!!
This is the exact recipe I was in the mood for tonight: easy, cozy, and tasty! I used a ground pork/beef mix, and added a can of kidney beans for some fiber. Came out perfect and it was a huge hit in my house. Thanks Natasha!
Yay!! I’m so happy it was a hit!! You’re very welcome.
Hi Natasha – I made this tonight and we all just LOVED it! Woo-hoo!
I made substitutions – ground turkey for the ground beef, less fat soft cream cheese, half of the Mexican cheese (I used cheddar). I added a chopped onion and a can of black beans (which I always use in my tacos). Loved the scallion! I thought it was a little dry so next time will add larger can of tomatoes. Big thumbs up from the fam – will definitely be adding this to our favorites!
Yay!! That’s great, Angela. Thanks for your review as always! XO
This one surprised me. I tried it on a whim (and an empty pantry) WOW, really good, easy and different!
Fantastic!! Glad it was a hit. Appreciate your review, Chris! 😀