Cheesy Taco Pasta - An easy and cheesy taco pasta casserole! This pasta is creamy, cheesy, and beefy! Full of taco flavors, and sure to be a crowd pleasing dinner.
Hey, all! It's safe to say that I am seriously over excited about today's post!!
Last week we went to Scottsdale, Arizona for my birthday. Might seem like a strange place to pick for a getaway this time of year, but, I've never been to Arizona so what the heck, right?
Anyway, it was HOT. I was fairly certain that my skin might actually melt off of my body.
Other than that, it was an amazing trip in a beautiful place. We stayed at the Four Seasons hotel in Scottsdale (which is gorgeous and honestly more like a resort than a hotel) and spent most of our time staying cool in the pool!
We ate entirely too much food, but that's what vacation is for in my opinion, and it was hard not to because all of the meals were to die for.
But, you guys know me, I'm a comfort food/home cookin' kind of girl. By the time we got back, I was ready to get in my kitchen and make our favorite casserole EVER.
Which brings us here to this glorious pot of Cheesy Taco Pasta!
CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW!
This taco pasta is something I've been making since pretty much the stone age, you guys. It's easy, and one of the first things I learned how to cook.
I've just tweaked it to perfection over time, and my family still can't get enough of it!
I choose egg noodles for this dish because they boil up super quick! Just make sure you cook them a couple of minutes less than specified on the package. That will ensure you don't end up with mushy noodles after baking!
Do you have a dutch oven? I LOVE mine. I can cook the beef, make the sauce, toss in the cheesy goodness and noodles, then toss it right in the oven from there!
If you don't have one, no worries. You can still cook your beef and make your sauce in one pot (I use super lean beef so I don't have to drain). Then mix in all the goodies and cook it up in a 9x13 casserole dish.
Enjoy! If you're looking for other quick and easy weeknight dinners find my Crockpot Frito Chili Pie and Crockpot Meatballs and Gravy!
~Nichole
Cheesy Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 Ounces Egg Noodles
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, I use 96% lean
- 1 Small Onion, Chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- ¼ Cup Flour
- 1 ½ Cups Milk
- 1 Packet Taco Seasoning
- 1 Cup Salsa
- ⅓ Cup Sour Cream
- 1 15 Ounce Can Black Beans
- 3 Cups Shredded Cheese, I use cheddar and a triple cheese blend
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large pot (ovenproof pot if you have one) over medium high heat, brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic. Drain grease from beef if necessary.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the pot with the beef mixture and stir until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, salsa, and sour cream until combined. Stir in the black beans and cheese. Stir in the cooked egg noodles. If you're using an ovenproof pot transfer the casserole to the oven topped with extra cheese if desired and cook for 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you do not have an oven safe pot, transfer the pasta mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish and bake as directed above.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been shared over at The Weekend Potluck!!
***This post may contain affiliate links, all opinions stated here are my own***
Hello! I’ve done this recipe MANY times and it’s one of my kids favorite! Thank you for this easy and quick delicious recipe!
Can it be frozen and then reheated? If so, at what temp? Same 400 degrees? I’m wanting to make this for a family member but they might not eat it right away so I would like to freeze it so that they can eat at their convenience!
Wow, this looks pretty hardcore. You make a beef gravy, then add taco stuff and egg noodles. Brilliant! I'll be trying it soon for sure.
Couple things. First, why not use a fattier ground beef and then just skip the butter? Seems a waste to have "if necessary, drain grease from beef" and then add some other non-beef fat. Second, any thoughts on adapting to an instant pot? Your IP recipes are what landed me at your site (sure glad that happened), so interested in your thoughts there. I figure you could do most of the same things, then add the (uncooked) noodles and pressure-cook for like 5 minutes and then transfer to the casserole dish in the oven. Interesting also to see what it'd be like without the baking, but my guess is too soupy...could probably alter the ratios to work on that though. Anyway, something to think about; I'm all over the one-pot miracles the IP delivers.
Thanks again for another great looking recipe. I'll let you know if I experiment with it...
Hi there! You could use a fattier ground beef and use the grease instead of butter to make the sauce if you wish. I prefer the taste of the butter in the sauce over the taste of fatty ground beef grease. The butter makes the sauce smoother and less "greasy" in general.
I am glad you found me! I haven't tested this in my instant pot yet, but, I will add it to my list! If you try it before I do, let me know what you think. Your ideas sound pretty spot on 🙂
What temperature do we put the oven at to bake it?
The oven should be at 400 degrees.
Where's the pasta? It's not listed in the recipe.
Hi, Dottie! It's the first ingredient in the list. 🙂