Cheesy Taco Pasta Dish (Printable)

Comforting Tex-Mex pasta with seasoned beef, corn, beans, and melted cheese in one pot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Pasta

04 - 8 oz short pasta (penne, shells, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
08 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Liquids

10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth

→ Seasonings

11 - 2 tbsp taco seasoning
12 - 1/2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

14 - Chopped fresh cilantro
15 - Sliced green onions
16 - Sour cream

# How-To:

01 - Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
03 - Sprinkle taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the beef and vegetable mixture. Stir thoroughly to distribute seasoning evenly.
04 - Add canned corn, black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, pasta, and broth to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove the pan from heat. Sprinkle shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly over the pasta. Cover and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until cheeses melt.
07 - Gently stir melted cheese into the pasta. Serve hot, topped with optional cilantro, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a one-pot miracle that feels like Tex-Mex comfort without any fussy plating or complicated steps.
  • The creamy, cheesy sauce clings to every piece of pasta and somehow tastes like someone spent hours on it, even though you'll be eating in under 40 minutes.
  • It stretches easily and forgivingly—swap proteins, add more vegetables, dial the spice up or down depending on who's at your table.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining excess beef fat—it's the difference between creamy and greasy, and a 30-second step that changes everything.
  • Stir the pasta occasionally as it cooks so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and doesn't cook unevenly.
  • Taste before serving and adjust salt—the broth, seasoning blend, and toppings all contribute, so you might need more or less than you expect.
03 -
  • Don't pre-salt your broth heavily—you control the seasoning by adding salt at the end, which lets you taste and adjust without overdoing it.
  • If you want more creaminess without adding actual cream, reserve 1/4 cup broth and stir it in before adding cheese—it helps the cheese distribute evenly and creates a silkier sauce.
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