Taco Pasta Shells

A twist on a classic, Taco Pasta Shells meld the best of two cuisines into one delectable dish with just the right amount of spice!!

We love traditional Stuffed Shells, but these Taco Pasta Shells is a Mexican-flavored twist on an Italian classic. Imagine a Beef Taco wrapped inside a jumbo pasta shell!

Taco Pasta Shells topped with cheese, diced tomatoes, and green onions.

A Twist on a taco

In our house, we LOVE Mexican food. We eat it at least a couple of times a week. One thing I love about Mexican food, is you basically use the same ingredients in every dish, just in a different way!

Tacos, enchiladas, flautas, tostadas… you are basically using a form of masa, meat, veggies, and similar seasonings. But they all sure taste delicious!

It’s fun to shake things up sometimes and take the twist even further. I’m talking about some food mash ups! In this case, I took a classic Italian stuffed shells, and made it Mexican by filling it with the spices and flavors of my favorite ground beef tacos!

Talk about a tasty twist!!

Seasoned ground beef for Taco Pasta Shells recipe

How to make Taco Filled Pasta Shells

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

GROUND BEEF. Cook ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add water and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Add cream cheese, stir, and reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the cream cheese is melted.

Transfer meat mixture to a bowl and let cool.

PASTA. Cook pasta according to package directions and toss in melted butter. Set aside.

FILL. Spoon salsa into a 11×7 casserole dish. Fill buttered pasta shells with a scoop of the meat mixture and place back in baking dish.

BAKE. Drizzle enchilada sauce over shells and bake for 20 minutes. Add shredded cheese and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

SERVE. Add toppings, like crushed Fritos, diced tomatoes, green onions, fresh cilantro, or sour cream to shells before serving.

Variations:

  • Increase the heat by using a spicier taco mix. You can also add some sliced jalapenos to the meat mixture. 
  • Add sliced olives to the mixture.
  • Include some frozen corn or canned black beans in the taco meat.
  • Add diced onions.
  • Use any kind of shredded cheese you like: colby, cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, etc.
Cooked pasta shells in a strainer

Recipe Tips

Ground Beef: Use at least 80/20 or leaner. You can also use ground turkey.

Taco Seasoning: You can use a 1oz pre packaged mix or make your own Taco Seasoning.

Jumbo Pasta Shells: I suggest boiling 15 shells for two reasons. First, sometimes a shell will tear making it hard to fill, so it’s nice to have an extra shell. Second, depending on how full you stuff the shells you may even have enough filling for a few extra. 

Enchilada Sauce: I bought green chili sauce to make this recipe. Should you wish to make your own, I have a delicious  Green Chili Enchilada Sauce Recipe. You can also try using Red Enchilada Sauce. 

Fritos: I topped these shells with crushed Fritos and it was the cherry on top of a great dish. You can also use other types of crushed chips like Tortilla Chips, Nacho Doritos, Tostitos. 

Jumbo pasta shell tacos topped with cheese in a baking dish

FAQ

Can you make it a freezer meal? Complete the recipe except for adding the cheese on top and do not bake. Instead, cover the dish with plastic wrap and then again with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove foil and plastic, sprinkle cheese on top and bake according to directions. 

How to store? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw if needed.

How to reheat? To REHEAT in the oven, set it to 350°F and heat for about 10 minutes or until warm throughout. You can also reheat in the microwave. 

Taco stuffed pasta shells topped with tomatoes and green onion.

For more Taco recipes, try:

Taco Pasta Shells Recipe

5 from 18 votes
A twist on a classic, Taco Pasta Shells meld the best of two cuisines into one delectable dish with just the right amount of spice!!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 805 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 12 jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted

Toppings:

  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Fritos, crushed
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
  • Cook ground beef in a large pan until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add water and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Add cream cheese, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the cream cheese is melted.
  • Transfer meat mixture to a bowl and let cool.
  • Cook pasta according to package directions and toss in melted butter. Set aside.
  • Spoon salsa into a 11×7 baking dish. Fill buttered pasta shells with a scoop of the meat mixture and place back in baking dish.
  • Drizzle enchilada sauce over shells and bake for 20 minutes. Add shredded cheese and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
  • Add crushed Fritos and sour cream to shells before serving.

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    We have found a new favorite recipe!! The whole family loves it! Lots of flavor & was so easy to make!

  2. 5 stars
    I wasn’t sure about pasta and taco combo, but I’ve never been happier to be wrong. I snuck a couple filled shelled before putting them in the casserole dish and they were good that way as well as smothered in the enchilada sauce.
    Great recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    This are so fun to make and I love that they are made with pasta shells. So much flavor too!

  4. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!