This 30-minute Taco Spaghetti recipe has become a reader favorite, racking up millions of views and countless 5-star reviews since 2019. It’s one of my most popular recipes and a family favorite for good reason – it’s quick, easy, and perfect for customization.
Taco Spaghetti Recipe
As a recipe developer, I understand the value of convenience. This one-pot, 30-minute taco spaghetti recipe is my solution for quick and delicious dinner. Forget prepping multiple pots and pans – this recipe is all about convenience and minimal cleanup.
Ground beef, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, and melty cheese combine with spaghetti for a flavor fiesta in every bite. This recipe is perfect for busy families or anyone craving a satisfying meal without the fuss. No fancy ingredients or techniques are needed—simply toss everything in a pot and simmer to taco-licious perfection in just 30 minutes!
Want a fix-it-and-forget-it dinner solution? Check out our Crockpot Taco Spaghetti recipe, too!
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup yellow onions
- ¼ cup (or 1 packet) taco seasoning or try our Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
- 8 oz. spaghetti noodles, uncooked – You could use any type of noodle for this recipe. If you want to stick with the feeling of spaghetti, you should use a long noodle-like linguine, angel hair, or fettuccine. You could also choose a smaller, bite-size noodle such as penne, bowtie, or macaroni.
- 3 cups water
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup chopped cilantro.
How to Make Taco Spaghetti
You are going to love how easy this recipe is to put together. It’s virtually impossible to mess it up. Best of all, you only need one pan and 30 minutes, which means it’s just as easy to clean it up as it is to make it.
- BROWN ground beef and onion.
- ADD taco seasoning, Rotel tomatoes, noodles, and water and bring to a boil.
- REDUCE heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- STIR in half of the cheese and top with the other half and the cilantro.
How to Serve Taco Spaghetti
Taco Spaghetti is best enjoyed hot, so serve it as soon as it’s ready to capture all its cheesy, spicy goodness. Serve with chips, Homemade Salsa, and our Easy Guacamole! Try some of our Garlic Cheesy Pull Apart Bread to go along with it!
Tips & Variations
- TOPPINGS: Feel free to top this pasta off with any of your favorite taco toppings. I love to add some fresh tomato, black olives, and onions to mine! You can also add them into your recipe, instead of using them as a garnish.
- BAKE: If you want to really go the extra mile with this recipe, throw it in a casserole dish when it is done cooking and put it in the oven on 350 for about 10 minutes with the cheese on top. Then for about 3-5 minutes crank up the heat to get the cheese and top layer a little bit browned. It is delicious!
- Use Quality Ingredients: Opt for fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavors. Fresh herbs, good-quality meat, and premium cheese can make a significant difference.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: For the best texture, cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente. This ensures it won’t get mushy when mixed with the sauce. Depending on which type of noodles you use, it could take more than 15 minutes or less. Keep an eye on it.
- Brown the Meat Properly: Brown the meat well to unlock its full flavor potential. This adds depth to the overall dish.
- Taste and Adjust: Before serving, taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if necessary. A dash of salt or a sprinkle of chili flakes can elevate the dish.
- Garnish Wisely: A sprinkle of fresh cilantro or a dollop of sour cream can add a fresh contrast to the rich, spicy flavors.
Proper Storage
This makes a fairly big batch of pasta, so we usually have enough for two dinners at our house. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
This recipe makes great leftovers, the flavors are almost better the second day. To reheat, simply pop it in the microwave!
How to Reheat Mexican Spaghetti Recipe
Place your pasta in a microwave-safe dish and add a little bit of extra pasta sauce or water on top. This will help it keep from drying out. Cover the dish and microwave on medium power for about 1 minute or until warmed (adding about 15-second increments) all the way through.
More Pasta Recipes
- Mexican Lasagna
- Creamy Bacon Pasta
- Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- One Pot Spaghetti Recipe
- Southwest Chicken Pasta
Taco Spaghetti Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup yellow onions
- ¼ cup taco seasoning or 1 packet
- 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes do NOT drain
- 8 oz. spaghetti noodles uncooked
- 3 cups water
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet until meat is no longer pink and onions are soft and translucent.
- Add taco seasoning, Rotel tomatoes (including juice), spaghetti noodles, and water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle half of the cheese into the pan and stir to distribute the cooked spaghetti and cheese throughout the pan.
- Top with remaining cheese and cilantro.
Jenn’s Notes
- Toppings: Add any favorite taco toppings like fresh tomato, black olives, and onions. Mix in or use as garnish.
- Bake: For extra flavor, bake in a casserole at 350°F for 10 mins with cheese, then broil for 3-5 mins until browned.
- Quality Ingredients: Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for better flavor.
- Al Dente Pasta: Cook spaghetti al dente to avoid mushiness.
- Brown the Meat: Ensure the meat is well-browned for deeper flavor.
- One-Pot: Use one pot for cooking to simplify cleanup and enhance flavors.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste before serving and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or sour cream for a fresh touch.
Boyfriend bought 28 ounce can of tomatoes How do i get that down to 10
Do you drain the grease after you grown the meat?
Do you drain the grease after cooking the hamburg?
Yes you drain grease, and if your hanburger is naturally greasy rather than lean, dont add the olive oil.
This delicious, I substituted diced chicken and I added drained can of corn and at end I stirred in about 1/4 cop of sour cream, I loved it!!
Made it and my addition was green chili’s. Great easy meal, if they like tacos they will like this
my fussy family that is sick of pasta loves this recipe! Make it as spicey as you like
Uh-Maz-Ing. I made this last night, followed the recipe to the letter, and it was FABULOUS. My entire family DEVOURED it!! Thanks so much!!!
Tried this tonight, pretty good. Had to add a little salt to balance the pasta and added some red Chile flakes to spice it up!
When do you add the olive oil?
I wondered the same thing
Only add it in the beginning if using lean hamburger.
Has anyone made this in an Instant Pot?
If so what are the directions for conversion to that method?
I just made it in the Instant pot tonight for dinner. I doubled the recipe. I browned the ground beef and onion, then layered 16oz of elbow macaroni, followed by the taco seasoning, cans of rotel, 6 cups of water (because I doubled the recipe). Don’t stir. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, less if you like your pasta less done. Do quick release and stir in cheese. I added extra cheese because my family likes extra cheese.
awesome. thanks. I do regular spaghetti in the IP and love it.
I’d really like to make your taco spaghetti recipe, but since I can’t eat past (diabetes) if I substitute the noodles for zoodles or butternut squash noodles do I have to change the time frame for the recipe? Do I still let it sit for 15 minutes? Or will that melt the zoodles?
Hi – thank you so much! Honestly, I have never tried this with zoodles or squash, but it sounds delicious! Let me know how it comes out!
Do you know if I would have to adjust the time?
I use zoodles for regular spaghetti all the time and love it!
Do you have to adjust the time if you switch to zoodles? I don’t want them to get mushy lol
I would say you will need to decrease the amount of water since the zoodles won’t adsorb it like the noodles would and also reduce the amount of time to let it set. Just my suggestions.