Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 12 oz medium pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- Sour cream for serving
- Sliced jalapeños (optional)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Diced tomatoes for topping
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef breaking apart with wooden spoon.
- Cook beef 6-8 minutes until deeply browned with no pink remaining.
- Season beef with salt and black pepper.
- Transfer beef to plate, leaving 2 tablespoons fat in pan.
- Reduce heat to medium and add diced onion.
- Sauté onion 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Return beef to skillet and stir to combine.
- Add taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and paprika.
- Stir vigorously 1-2 minutes to toast spices.
- Add tomato sauce, salsa, beef broth, and diced tomatoes with juice.
- Bring to full boil, scraping up browned bits.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add dry pasta shells, pressing into liquid.
- Stir immediately to prevent sticking.
- Reduce heat to medium maintaining steady simmer.
- Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
- Add broth if sauce becomes too thick.
- When pasta is tender, remove from heat.
- Sprinkle cheeses over hot pasta.
- Cover with lid 2-3 minutes to melt cheese.
- Remove lid and stir to incorporate cheese.
- Serve with toppings.
Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef for best flavor
- Don’t skip browning beef properly – builds flavor
- Leave some fat for sautéing aromatics
- Toast spices to intensify flavors
- Stir pasta frequently to prevent sticking
- Sauce thickens from pasta starches naturally
- Remove from heat before adding cheese to prevent greasiness
- Customize toppings to family preferences
- Kids love this fusion of taco and pasta flavors
- Freezes well for meal prep
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican-Italian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 495 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 925 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75mg