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Taco spaghetti in a white bowl with a gold fork.
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Taco Spaghetti Recipe

Taco Spaghetti is a quick and easy dinner made with spaghetti tossed in a zesty taco-style meat sauce, loaded with cheese, and topped with your favorite taco fixings. It's the perfect blend of pasta night and taco Tuesday, ready in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, tex mex
Servings: 6
Author: Kellie
Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 sweet onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning or 2 packets of taco seasoning
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies mild or hot
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated Colby Jack Cheese

For Garnish:

  • Grated cheese
  • Jalapeno pickled or fresh
  • chopped tomatoes
  • diced avocodo
  • chopped cilantro
  • sour cream

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. Drain and do not rinse.
  • While the pasta is cooking, cook the ground beef in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven breaking up with a wooden spoon or spatula while cooking. Continue to cook until no longer pink, approximately 8-10 minutes. Transfer the ground beef to a bowl with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat.
  • Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
  • Add the tomato paste and taco seasoning cooking for an additional 1 minute. Stir in beef stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze and scrape up the browned bits, this is called fond and it's added flavor for your sauce.
  • Add the diced tomatoes and green chiles. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the beef back to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese a handful at a time until melted.
  • Add the spaghetti and, using tongs, toss until evenly coated in sauce.
  • Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

  • Make it vegetarian by swapping ground beef for meatless crumbles or beans.
  • For extra heat, stir in hot green chilies or a pinch of cayenne.
  • Use gluten-free spaghetti to keep it GF-friendly.
  • Can be made ahead: just reheat gently and add a splash of stock or water if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 934mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 787IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 5mg