Cheesy Taco Pasta Bake

This taco pasta bake has absolutely no business being this good — cheesy, crispy, loaded with flavour and perfect for feeding a family.

What sets the taco pasta apart is the incredible, crispy, loaded baked topping. Don’t forget the rich, cheesy, beefy pasta underneath too. Sound good? Follow me…

Taco Pasta Casserole

This ain’t no ordinary taco pasta we’re dealing with here. This is a casserole-style pasta that is going to change your life forever. Well, for now anyway. Let’s see what we’re working with here:

• Pasta Layer – Ooey gooey cheesy taco-flavoured ground beef pasta.
• Crispy Layer – We’re going to use crushed tortilla chips or hard taco shells to create an ultra crispy layer, then bake it in the oven (yes, dreams really do come true).
• Taco Toppings – Once fresh out the oven, it’s time to load everything up with the ultimate combo of taco toppings.

The other amazing thing about this dish is how customisable it is. You can switch up the toppings to suit your taste buds, control the spice and choose your cheese. Let’s take a closer look.

Cheesy Taco Pasta

The main bulk, and the star of this casserole, is indeed the cheesy taco pasta. As such, it’s important to get it right. Easy method, simple ingredients, but let’s quickly discuss a few:

• Pasta – I always go for conchiglie, mainly because the beef gets caught up in the pasta shell and makes it seem like lots of mini pasta tacos. However, if you’re not as easily amused as I am, you can use any other shortcut pasta you fancy.
• Beef – I usually go for beef around 10-12% lean. Gives it a bit of fatty flavour, but not so much that it turns oily/greasy. If you only have fatty beef, just drain away some of the fat.
• Cheese – For me, it’s a 3-way split between cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey Jack. You can also use ‘Mexican Cheese Blends’ if your store sells it. Any melty cheese works though.
• Seasoning – I of course recommend my  Ground Beef Taco Seasoning! But your favourite store-bought brand will work fine too.

Process shots: fry onion/jalapeño (photo 1), brown beef (photo 2), add seasoning (photo 3), stir in tomato paste (photo 4), pour in beef stock & chopped tomatoes and simmer (photo 5), stir in pasta with pasta water (photo 6), add cheese (photo 7), combine until gooey (photo 8).

Taco Pasta Bake

Alright, here’s where things get fun.

You’re right, most pasta bakes do indeed have a layer of cheese on top and then baked. BUT, here we’re dealing with a crispy, crunchy layer instead. You know, just to keep in with the taco theme and all that jazz. My first choice here is to use hard tortilla shells, but you can substitute tortilla chips.

To crush them, I find it easiest in a zip-lock bag, squeeze out the air, and crush with your hands (or a rolling pin). You can also use a food processor.

Taco Pasta Toppings

After we’ve baked it’s time to load up with your favourite taco toppings. Here’s the usual suspects for me:

• Sour Cream
• Red Onion
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Lime (to serve)

Process shots: add cheesy taco pasta to casserole dish (photo 1), top with crushed tortilla/taco, spray with oil and bake (photo 2), load with toppings (photo 3).

Serving Taco Pasta Bake

From there it’s time to face plant! This will make a full meal for 5 (4 very hungry), so no need for sides. I also recommend diving in quickly, or the sour cream will start to turn the topping soft.

If you like the sound of this recipe, then definitely check out my Ground Beef Tacos, Taco Sweet Potatoes and Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas! 

For more taco dinners, check out my full collection of Taco Recipes!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full taco pasta bake recipe shall we?!

How to make Taco Pasta Bake (Full Recipe & Video)

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Looking for a quicker one pot taco pasta, check out my Easy Taco Spaghetti!

For more similar recipes check out these beauties too:

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• Broccoli Pasta Bake
• Cauliflower Cheese Pasta Bake
• Meatball Pasta Bake
• Easy Cheesy Veggie Pasta Bake
• Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake
• Chicken Bacon Pasta Bake

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