Looking for an easy, comforting meal? This stick-to-your-ribs Slow Cooker Cheesy Taco Pasta is the answer! Packed with taco flavor and cheesy goodness, it feeds an army and makes the perfect leftovers!
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Super Satisfying Cheesy Crockpot Pasta!
Cheesy pasta is a favorite for families, and it’s easy to see why. Any kind of macaroni and cheese or pasta alfredo recipe is practically guaranteed to be filling, comforting, nourishing, and… picky-eater-approved! Most cheesy pasta recipes are more on the Italian or American side of things, flavor-wise. But this one is filled with yummy taco flavors, for a little Mexican twist. You’re gonna love it!
Made with corn, black beans, seasoned ground beef, salsa, and more, it’s got plenty of texture and contrast. Taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade) adds some great spicy flavor. And in terms of cheese? Let me just say, we got cheese. Velveeta, cream cheese, and shredded cheese combine to make this an ultra-saucy, melty, kid-pleasing recipe.
What’s in this Taco Pasta Recipe?
This recipe has allll the goodies that you love on taco night – just added to a creamy, cheesy pasta instead of a taco. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Taco Pasta:
- Ground Beef: The ground beef will be cooked and drained before adding it, so you can use lean ground beef or a fatty ground beef like chuck – whatever you like.
- Salt and Pepper
- Chilies: Canned, diced hatch chiles. I like to use the mild ones.
- Salsa: Any salsa that you like is fine!
- Garlic Powder: Adding a bit of extra garlic powder to the dish gives it a little oomph, but you can leave this out if you prefer.
- Onion: A medium onion, diced. Any kind of onion is fine.
- Tomatoes: Fire roasted crushed tomatoes in a can.
- Black Beans: Drain them before you use them.
- Corn: Frozen sweet corn is my go-to.
- Chicken Broth: Water would also be fine.
- Taco Seasoning: This is my favorite store bought taco seasoning.
- Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese to cool room temperature before you add it to the recipe. This way, it will blend in smoothly.
- Velveeta: Velveeta cheese melts into a gorgeous, creamy sauce without becoming grainy.
- Shell Pasta: You’ll want medium shells. You could also use other medium pasta shapes, if you prefer, like penne.
- Pasta Water: Some of the pasta water also goes into the recipe, for a little extra starch and thickening power.
- Shredded Cheese: You can use shredded Mexican cheese, or shredded cheddar, Colby Jack, etc.
Optional Toppings:
- Avocado: Or guacamole.
- Sour Cream: Or Mexican crema.
- Green Onions: Or chives, or chopped white onion if you’re feeling bold!
- Cilantro: Feel free to leave this out if you don’t like cilantro.
- Limes: For a little touch of tangy flavor, which really helps bring out the other flavors in the recipe.
How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
Okay, let’s take a look at the process for making taco pasta in the crock pot. You might already be worried about getting a good texture to your pasta – but I have a cheat for that: pre-cooking the pasta on the stove. Here’s how to make this easy, cheesy dinner.
- Brown the Ground Beef. First, you’ll need to season and cook the ground beef. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and toss it into a skillet or pot over medium heat. Brown the ground beef, and then drain any excess fat.
- Add the Ingredients, Except Pasta and Cheese. Next, lightly spray your slow cooker insert with nonstick spray, and layer in the browned beef, hatch chilies, salsa, garlic powder, chopped onion, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and taco seasoning. Give this all a good stir to combine.
- Cook! Let these ingredients cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.
- Cook the Pasta. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, boil your shell pasta until just al dente. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the rest of the water.
- Add the Pasta, Cream Cheese, and Velveeta. Add the cream cheese and Velveeta to the slow cooker, stirring well to melt them. Then add the shell pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir again, so that all of the shells are covered in the taco mixture. Place the lid back on the crockpot, and cook on high for an additional 20 minutes.
- Finish the Dish. When the 20 minutes are up, turn off the slow cooker, adjust the seasonings to taste, and fold the shredded Mexican cheese into the pasta until it’s completely melted. Serve and enjoy!
Will Pasta Get Mushy in the Crockpot?
A lot of us have tried pasta recipes in the crockpot that turned out mushy, so you might be concerned that this will happen with slow-cooker taco pasta. The good news is, if you use the proper technique, your pasta will turn out nice and tender without being mushy or gooey.
There are some ways you can do this with uncooked pasta, but the easiest thing to do is what we do here: just cook the pasta on the stove, and then add it to the dish toward the end of the cooking time! That way, you know the pasta is already tender, and you don’t have to worry about getting the slow cooker to the right temperature to “boil” it.
Tips for Success
There are a few more things you should know about making taco pasta in the crock pot – here are my top tips. Read, eat, enjoy – and if you make this recipe, feel free to leave a comment below!
- Spicy vs. Mild: Worried about making this dish spicy? No problem! The heat can easily be adjusted depending on your taste. If you like a lot of heat, use your favorite spicy salsa – or throw in some cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
- Sodium: For a lower-sodium dish, you can use low-sodium taco seasoning and adjust the recipe seasonings to taste.
- Ground Beef: I used ground beef for chili for chunkier beef. It is not as finely ground as normal ground beef. If you use regular ground beef, that’s fine too!
- Corn: A 15-ounce can of corn (drained) can be used in place of frozen corn.
Side Dish Ideas
Side dishes are the best way to make this dish into a meal. You can be super simple here – after all, taco pasta is an easy dinner, so why complicate it? Here are some ultra-yummy, easy-to-make recipes to try:
- Bread: There are a few good options, but I really love this easy Beer Bread and it goes great with hearty dishes like this! Another good option is the classic Sweet Corn Bread or Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins!
- Green Beans: These Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic are a family favorite. They’re a great way to use fresh green beans, and are perfect for any dinner, from a holiday meal to this simple slow cooker pasta.
- Chips & Salsa: As a side or appetizer, this fresh Restaurant Style Salsa is irresitable with some Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips!
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
Got leftovers? Great! Store them in your refrigerator for up to four days. To keep the taco pasta as fresh as possible, pack the dish into airtight containers before storing.
To reheat, just place the taco pasta in an ovenproof dish and bake at 350°F until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave for twenty seconds or so at a time. Stir it now and then to prevent hot and cold spots.
How to Freeze Cheesy Taco Pasta
If you have leftovers of your slow cooker taco pasta, and you want to store them a bit longer than four days, go ahead and freeze them instead. Just make sure to cool the taco pasta down first, so it doesn’t get freezer burn and ice crystals. Then pack into freezer containers or freezer bags, mark with the date, and freeze for up to four months. Defrost in the fridge before you reheat.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 4 oz can diced hatch chiles, mild
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
- 1.5 cups frozen sweet corn
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 1.25 oz packet taco seasoning
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 oz Velveeta cheese
- 16 oz medium sized shell pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Optional Toppings:
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Cilantro
- Limes
Instructions
- Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Over medium heat, brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain any excess fat.
- Lightly spray a 6 quart crockpot insert with non-stick spray. Add the browned beef, hatch chilies, salsa, garlic powder, chopped onion, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken broth, taco seasoning and stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. About 30 minutes before the end of cook time, cook shell pasta until just al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water. Drain pasta well.
- Add cream cheese and Velveeta to the slow cooker. Stir until melted. Add shell pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir well until all shells are covered in the taco mixture. Cover crock and allow to cook on high for an additional 20 minutes.
- When done, turn off slow cooker, adjust any seasoning to taste and add shredded Mexican cheese then fold into mixture until completely melted. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Spicy vs. Mild: Worried about making this dish spicy? No problem! The heat can easily be adjusted depending on your taste. If you like a lot of heat, use your favorite spicy salsa – or throw in some cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
- Sodium: For a lower-sodium dish, you can use low-sodium taco seasoning and adjust the recipe seasonings to taste.
- Ground Beef: I used ground beef for chili for chunkier beef. It is not as finely ground as normal ground beef. If you use regular ground beef, that's fine too!
- Corn: A 15-ounce can of corn (drained) can be used in place of frozen corn.
- Storing: Store leftovers in your refrigerator for up to four days. To keep the taco pasta as fresh as possible, pack the dish into airtight containers before storing.
- Freezing: Cool down the pasta first, and then pack into freezer containers or freezer bags, mark with the date, and freeze for up to four months. Defrost in the fridge before you reheat
- Reheating: Place the taco pasta in an ovenproof dish and bake at 350°F until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave for twenty seconds or so at a time. Stir it now and then to prevent hot and cold spots.
Nutrition
Categories:
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken and Sausage
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice
- Easy Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Best Crockpot Pot Roast
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
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boy! you aren’t wrong! it feeds an army but also makes great leftovers. my family feeds off this for a few days. we make the recipe as directed and love the slight spice that comes through. perfect comfort food!