Cheesy, beefy, and delicious, this homemade taco macaroni "hamburger helper" is a perfect weeknight meal that needs just one pot and 30 minutes to prepare.
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This one-pot cheesy taco pasta recipe uses a full pound of elbow macaroni to stretch a pound of ground beef, making it perfect for feeding a crowd. It's one of my quick, easy, use-what-you-have recipes that are great for using whatever is in the fridge and pantry.
A slightly different take on taco pasta is my Mexican Spaghetti, which only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Other favorite use-what-you-have recipes include Cheesy Tuna Casserole, One Pot Tomato Spinach Pasta, and Orzo Alfredo.
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What you need to make Taco Macaroni
See recipe card for quantities.
- Ground beef. Save time on this and other ground beef recipes by keeping cooked ground beef in your freezer for quick meals.
- Elbow macaroni. Swap with any medium size pasta, adjusting liquid amount and cook time as necessary.
- Taco seasoning mix & water. Use our homemade taco seasoning mix or store-bought.
- Chicken broth. You can sub beef broth or use soup base with water if you don't have chicken broth.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles. Rotel brand now offers a fire-roasted version that is great for added flavor. Substitute diced tomatoes if that is what you have.
- Tomato sauce. A mixture of tomato paste and water can be substituted.
- Salt & pepper.
- Cheddar cheese. Mexican blend can be used.
- Cilantro. Optional for garnish, but adds great flavor.
Use what you have on hand in this forgiving recipe. Add in drained corn, black olives, different pasta, or other varieties of cheese. Have leftover chicken? Use that instead of ground beef.
✨ Pro Tip: Time Saving Freezer Ingredient ✨
Keep taco-seasoned, cooked ground beef in the freezer for quick and easy dinners. Cooking 5 pounds ground beef and seasoning it for the freezer takes less time than making 1 pound ground beef 5 times and seasoning it for each recipe. Added bonus: cooked ground beef takes up less space in your freezer.
How to make Taco Macaroni
Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Brown one pound of ground beef in a large skillet.
Add the onion and garlic to the ground beef and cook until the beef is done.
Mix in the taco seasoning and water, stirring to combine.
Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes with green chiles with juices.
Stir in salt and pepper, and mix in elbow macaroni.
Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes at a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Stir in milk and cheddar cheese.
Mix well. Serve garnished with additional shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro.
Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-free - use a GF pasta and verify the chicken broth and taco seasoning are GF (or use homemade)
- Spicy - choose a hot variety of tomatoes and green chiles, add an extra can of green chiles, or add crushed red pepper flakes
- Kid-friendly - substitute plain diced tomatoes for the tomatoes with green chiles
Storage and freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze, prepare by cooking ground beef, onion, and garlic. Combine with all remaining ingredients except milk and cheddar cheese in an airtight, leak-proof freezer container for up to 6 months. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To cook, place contents in a large skillet or pot and cook at a simmer until pasta is tender and mixture is heated through. Add milk and cheddar cheese and mix well. Serve garnished with additional cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro.
Taco Macaroni Date____________________
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator in a leak-proof container. Place contents in a large skillet or pot and cook until pasta is tender and mixture is heated through. Add ¼ cup milk and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and mix well. Serve garnished ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro.
Recipe
30 Minute Taco Macaroni
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic, or 2 teaspoons minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3¼ cups chicken broth
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and green chilies with juices
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Chop ½ onion and mince 2 cloves garlic.
- Brown 1 pound ground beef in a skillet with chopped onion and minced garlic.
- Add 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix and ⅓ cup water and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, 3¼ cups chicken broth, 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and green chilies with juices, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 16 ounces elbow macaroni. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook covered for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
- Stir in ¼ cup milk and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Serve garnished with ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro.
Nutrition per serving
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