Name: Taco Pasta Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 ounces rotini or similar pasta; 1 pound ground beef; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 package taco seasoning mix; 1 cup water; 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened; 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies; 1 cup half and half; 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese; Chopped cilantro, tomato, green onion or other taco toppings

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TACO PASTA SKILLET — Pasta, ground beef and Tex-Mex flavors come together in this quick and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Anytime I can combine my favorite foods and flavors into one dish, I’m all in! And this Taco Pasta Skillet is one of those recipes!

This hearty pasta dish features all the flavors of your favorite Tex-Mex meal in one skillet! It’s a crowd pleasing dish that even my picky eaters enjoy.

Best of all, it’s so easy to make, and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand.

It’s the perfect quick dinner for those busy week nights where you want to get something on the dinner table, and you’re not in the mood for any complaining about what’s for dinner.

My husband and boys all loved this and went back for seconds, so it’s a keeper in my book!

I really love that this recipe is so versatile. You could easily replace the ground beef with ground turkey, or even shredded chicken.

And almost any kind of pasta will work. My favorites to use in this dish are rotini, penne, or shells. But good old elbow macaroni would be perfect too!

You could even sneak in some diced green peppers or other veggies to really make it a complete meal. Feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like a little heat.

This is one of those Tex-Mex style recipes that is always a hit at my house. It keeps the taco lovers happy (my husband) and the pasta lovers happy too.

Which means everyone is happy with the Taco Pasta Skillet is on the menu!

Be sure to save this Taco Pasta Skillet recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Tips for Cooking Pasta

Use a big pot: Cook pasta in a large pot–big enough to hold 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.

Salt: Generously season your cooking water with salt. A few teaspoons per quart of water is a good place to start. Although a little more or less is fine, depending on your preference.

Don’t overcook: Boil your pasta to until it is al dente, which means it’s cooked, but still a bit chewy. You’ll want to test your pasta for flavor and texture every 20 seconds or so during the last few minutes of cooking.

If you’ll continue cooking the pasta in a sauce, or baking it in the oven, remove the pot from the heat a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Taco Pasta Skillet

Rotini pasta
Ground beef
Produce: garlic, tomatoes, green onions
Taco seasoning
Cream cheese
Canned diced tomatoes and green chilies
Half and Half
Cheddar cheese

Taco Pasta Skillet

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Pasta, ground beef and Tex-Mex flavors come together in this quick and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Ingredients

8 ounces rotini or similar pasta
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup half and half
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped cilantro, tomato, green onion or other taco toppings

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions; set aside.
In a large skillet, brown grown beef until cooked through. Add garlic and taco seasoning mix and cook a few minutes more. Stir in water and simmer another 2-3 minutes.
Add cream cheese and cook until melted and smooth. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chilies, followed by half and half.
Add the shredded cheddar cheese and continue to cook and stir until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in pasta.
If desired, top with chopped cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, or your favorite taco toppings before serving.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 514Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 498mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 29g

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Taco Pasta Skillet

TACO PASTA SKILLET — Pasta, ground beef and Tex-Mex flavors come together in this quick and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!