Cheesy Taco Pasta Bake
If you love taco night and you love pasta, this cheesy taco pasta bake is about to become your new weeknight obsession. We are talking about tender ziti noodles loaded with seasoned ground beef, creamy cream cheese sauce, and melty shredded cheese baked right on top. It is all the flavors you love from taco night, but in a hearty, bubbly, baked pasta dish that the whole family will go crazy for.
This dish is the ultimate comfort food mashup. It comes together with simple pantry ingredients in about 30 minutes, and it bakes up into a bubbling, golden, cheesy masterpiece that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Whether you are feeding a hungry crowd or meal prepping for the week, this recipe delivers big on flavor every single time.
If you are a fan of this recipe, you are going to want to check out some of our other taco-inspired favorites too! We love a good Taco Bubble Up Bake, and our Slow Cooker Taco Pasta is always a hit on busy nights. If you want something fun and shareable, our Crescent Roll Taco Ring is a total crowd-pleaser!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is super quick to put together: You can have this in the oven in under 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
- The whole family loves it: Pasta plus taco flavors plus melty cheese? It is a guaranteed win at the dinner table, even with the picky eaters.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients: No fancy ingredients needed here. This recipe uses everyday items you likely already have at home, making it easy to whip up any night of the week.
Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Here is a quick rundown of what you will need to make this dish. You can find the full amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. We use ziti noodles, ground beef, a packet of taco seasoning (or you can use our homemade taco seasoning!), cream cheese, light cream or half and half, and shredded cheese.
Variations
- Swap the protein: Ground turkey, ground chicken, or even Italian sausage all work great in place of the ground beef.
- Make it spicier: Add some diced jalapenos, a pinch of cayenne, or use a spicy taco seasoning to kick things up a notch.
- Go vegetarian: Skip the meat altogether and add black beans, corn, and diced bell peppers for a hearty and flavorful meatless version.
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Then add the taco seasoning, water, and cream cheese. Cook until thickened.
- In a casserole dish combine the cooked pasta and beef.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta just until al dente: Do not overcook the ziti before baking. It will continue to cook in the oven and you want it to have a little bite to it when done.
- Drain the beef well: Make sure to drain the fat from the ground beef after browning. Too much grease can make the dish watery.
- Let it rest before serving: Allow the bake to sit for about 5 minutes after coming out of the oven. This helps the cheesy sauce set up a bit and makes it easier to scoop and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! You can assemble the pasta bake up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then bake as directed. You may need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the bake time if it is going in cold.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or warm the whole dish in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until heated through.
Absolutely! Let the bake cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
If you do not have cream cheese on hand, you can substitute with sour cream or ricotta cheese for a similar creamy texture. The flavor will be slightly different, but the dish will still be delicious and hearty.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! We would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW US on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more delicious recipes.
📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Cheesy Taco Pasta Bake
Equipment
- large skillet
- casserole dish
Ingredients
- ¾ pound ziti noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup light cream or half and half
- 4 ounces cream cheese 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 ½ cup shredded cheese
- 1 packet taco seasoning or my taco seasoning https://mariasmixingbowl.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain well and transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning and 1 cup of water into the cooked beef. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cream cheese and light cream (or half-and-half). Stir until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Stir 1 cup of the shredded cheese into the cooked pasta until evenly combined.
- Spoon the creamy taco beef mixture over the pasta and gently stir everything together. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden around the edges.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
One Comment