Description
Taco Tuesday meets pasta night in this 30-minute dinner that’ll have everyone racing to the table. Skip the shells and tortillas – this cheesy, beefy, one-pot wonder is what family dinner dreams are made of.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz medium pasta shells or rotini
- 1 lb lean ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 packet (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Diced avocado, for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
- Sliced jalapeños, for serving
- Crushed tortilla chips, for serving
- Fresh lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente (1-2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break into smaller pieces. Cook until beginning to brown, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add diced onion to the beef and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning over the meat mixture and stir to coat evenly. Cook for about 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Pour in diced tomatoes with green chilies and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Add drained pasta and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until pasta absorbs some liquid and finishes cooking.
- Reduce heat to low and add cubed cream cheese. Stir continuously until cream cheese melts completely. If mixture seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Remove skillet from heat and gradually stir in 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup shredded cheese over the top. Cover skillet for 1-2 minutes to allow cheese to melt.
- Serve immediately, garnished with your choice of toppings.