Taco Spaghetti • Two Purple Figs

This Taco Spaghetti is super easy to make and has the best of worlds. It’s a Spaghetti with beef taco meat, taco seasoning, and toppings. So hearty and filling, this is dinner in 30 minutes and it will blow you away–SO GOOD!

Who can resist the taste and flavors of Ground Beef Tacos? Now imagine those being tossed in a spaghetti, topped with cheese and baked. When out of the oven, we love loading some sour cream and pickled jalapeños on top. And if you have some  Salsa or Guacamole, go ahead and add those in!

Now we’re not new to giving tacos a fun twist! This Taco Soup is everything you love in a taco put into a bowl of hearty comforting soup! SO GOOD!

And this Taco Salad is everything you love in a taco, added to some iceberg and dressed up in a zesty lime sauce. This salad is the lightest most refreshing version of a taco EVER! You’ll LOVE it!

This is a super easy and no fuss recipe that you’ll LOVE so much! And we have step by step photos below and video so you can make it in a snap. Here’s why you’ll love this.

Why You’ll Love Taco Spaghetti

• It tastes like a beef taco tossed in tender and comforting spaghetti with melted cheese. SO Delicious!
• This recipe is a one pot meal, so it’s utterly convenient for busy nights.
• You need 30 minutes start to finish for this taco spaghetti recipe.
• This is a versatile dish, you can make it as spicy or mild as you want.
• You can feed a crowd with this recipe, so it’s perfect for entertaining too!
• It’s comfort food, yet it also feels like street food and it has a kick of flavors.
• This taco spaghetti tastes better the next day as the flavors blend even more!
• It’s a great make in advance recipe!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground Beef. Lean ground beef or extra lean is preferable here. Similar to these Ground Beef Tacos and Ground Beef Nachos. You can also be adventurous and try ground lamb similar to those Lamb Tacos.
• Aromatics. The base of flavor which includes diced onions, bell peppers, garlic, and if you’d like to add carrots you can.
• Taco Spice Blend. You can use homemade or store bought taco seasoning. We used homemade and we combined some oregano, cumin, chilli powder, garlic powder an onions powder.
• Tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes or canned baby cherry tomatoes are our top picks. You can however use fresh tomatoes if. they’re in season. Alternatively for a spicier and richer taste, use the rotel fire roasted diced tomatoes.
• Corn. Or black beans or both. We used frozen organic corn kernels.
• Herbs. Lots of fresh cilantro and parsley for flavor and freshness.
• Cheese. Home grated cheese is best. Use your favorite cheddar, Monterey Jack or combo.
• Spaghetti. While you can use linguine or any pasta shape, we have preferred the spaghetti shape.
• Toppings. Sour cream, pickled jalapenos, chilli flakes, more cilantro, Guacamole, Salsa, green onions and more!

How to Make Taco Spaghetti

Cook the Beef Taco Meat

1. Start by cooking the ground beef to make the beef taco mixture.
2. Since this is a one pot meal, always use an oven safe skillet as this skillet will go into the oven at a later stage.
3. Cook the onions and bell peppers in oil until soft and tender, this takes about 5-7 minutes.
   
4. Now add in the lean or extra lean ground beef to the skillet along with the garlic.
   
5. Season the meat with taco seasoning, homemade  or store bought. We have included the detailed recipe below if you don’t have taco seasoning.
   
6. Cook the meat over high heat until it has cooked through and no longer pink in color.
   
7. At that point, add in the tomatoes and corn and cook for another few minutes.
   
8. Now the taco mixture is ready.
   

   Adding the Spaghetti

   

9. While you’re making the taco meat, have the spaghetti or pasta of your choice cooking.
10. Cook it according to the package instructions and when its ready toss it in the taco mix.
    
11. Toss the spaghetti well into the skillet with the cooked meat and sauce.
    

    Bake To Melt the Cheese

12. Now you’ll add a layer of cheese on top of the pasta. Be as generous as you like with the cheese, it’s very personal.
    
13. Bake the dish as is in the skillet just until the cheese melts. You can alternatively broil the dish too, however we love baking it.
14. Once out of the oven, garnish it with your favorite toppings.
    
15. Be as simple as sour cream and pickled jalapeño, or as crazy as a Ground Beef Tacos toppings!
16. wait for just a few minutes before serving as the cheese will be piping hot.

Taco Spaghetti Tips

1. Use extra lean ground beef for this recipe, as you’re not looking for a rich flavor of the fat, just the beef.
2. Feel free to use store bought taco seasoning or make it at home with the recipe below.
3. It’s best to make this recipe in a heavy duty skillet like a cast iron or Dutch pan.
4. The skillet needs to be oven proof in order to be a one pan meal.
5. Don’t speed up the onion sauté step, it’s essential to give it time. Raw onions can be overpowering, while properly cooked onions have a rich sweet flavor.
6. Make sure the beef is cooked well over high heat and no pink is visible anymore before adding the tomatoes.
7. If tomatoes are seasonal, use fresh tomatoes for a bright taste. Otherwise your favorite canned ones will work.
8. Rotel tomatoes are a great choice as they are spicy and fire roasted.
9. Cheese is very personal, choose your favorite types and use as much or as little as you prefer.
10. When cooking the pasta, make sure it’s al dente. Remember it will cook more in the oven and you don’t want it to be mushy.
11. Adjust the spice level to your taste by adding more or skipping the chilli flakes entirely.
12. You can broil the skillet to melt the cheese or bake it.
13. Use the toppings of your choice. Load it up like a beef taco, or keep it simple with sour cream, green onions and paickled jalapeños.
14. Wait just a few minutes before serving as the cheese is piping hot!

How to Store and Reheat Taco Spaghetti?

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for 4-5 days. If you want to reheat it, you can microwave it with 1-3 teaspoons of water depending on the amount of pasta.

How to make in advance or Freeze Taco Spaghetti?

You can make the recipe entirely in advance, and wait for it to cool before wrapping it. Freeze it for 3 months and then thaw. reheat in a 350 degree oven, covered with 1/4 cup of water for 20 minutes.

To make in advance, you can prepare the meat sauce up to 3 days in advance. On the day of serving, cook the spaghetti, toss it in, bake and serve.

What to Serve with Taco Spaghetti

Your favorite salsa! Pineapple Salsa or Mango Pico De Gallo for a sweet kick! Air Fryer Garlic Bread to dunk in, or Pita Chips. Corn Ribs for a side veggie dish. Mexican Lentil Salad for a hearty bright salad side dish.

Taco Recipes

Ground Chicken Tacos
Lamb Tacos
Salmon Tacos
Mahi Mahi Tacos
Lamb Birria
Birria Tacos
Crispy Fish Tacos

Pasta Recipes

Shrimp Pasta
Creamy Chili Crab Pasta
Spaghetti aglio e olio  Olive oil Pasta
Sardine Pasta
Shrimp Scampi
Burrata Pasta
Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto
Pasta Primavera