Description
This easy One Pot Cheesy Taco Mac combines seasoned ground beef, tender shell pasta, and a creamy cheddar cheese sauce loaded with taco flavors. Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal cleanup, this family-friendly dinner is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something comforting and satisfying on the table fast.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
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1 pound ground beef (lean ground beef preferred)
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½ yellow onion, diced
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1 bell pepper, diced (any color – green, red, yellow, or orange)
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10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained (Rotel tomatoes)
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1 packet taco seasoning
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½ cup tomato sauce
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2 cups beef broth
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1 cup whole milk
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2½ cups shell pasta
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2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional Toppings:
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Extra shredded cheese
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Green onions, sliced
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Sour cream
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Crushed tortilla chips
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Taco sauce or hot sauce
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Fresh cilantro
Instructions
Heat your biggest skillet on medium-high and dump in the beef, onions, and peppers. Use your spoon to break up the meat into smaller bits as it browns. Takes maybe 5-7 minutes until there’s no pink left. If you’ve got a grease puddle, tilt the pan and blot it with paper towels. I’m lazy so sometimes I skip this if I used really lean beef. Stir in the taco seasoning and let it cook for another minute until it smells so good you’re tempted to eat it right now.
Pour in the whole can of Rotel – don’t drain it, that liquid is flavor. Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, milk, and dump the dry pasta right on top. Stir everything around so the pasta gets coated and there’s liquid covering most of it. Some pieces might stick up a little and that’s fine, just poke them down with your spoon.
Crank the heat up until you see bubbles, then turn it way down to low and put the lid on. Now here’s where you can’t just walk away and start folding laundry. Set a timer for 12 minutes and come back every few minutes to stir. Really get in there and scrape the bottom because pasta loves to stick and burn. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way multiple times. My husband still brings up the time I had to soak the pan overnight.
When the pasta feels tender when you bite into it, turn off the heat completely. Dump in all that shredded cheese and stir like your life depends on it. Watch it melt into this gorgeous gooey sauce that coats everything. This is the moment where you realize this recipe was a good call.
Give it a minute to cool down just slightly because nobody likes burning their mouth. Scoop it into bowls and let everyone go wild with toppings.
Notes
Don’t walk away during the simmering phase! Pasta has a sneaky habit of sticking to the bottom of the pan, especially in a one-pot dish. Stir every few minutes and scrape the bottom to keep everything moving.
If your sauce looks too thin after adding the cheese, don’t panic. Let the dish sit uncovered for 5 minutes – it will thicken up beautifully as it cools slightly. If it’s too thick, just stir in a splash of milk.
Use a deep skillet rather than a shallow one. You need enough room for the liquid to bubble without overflowing, and a deeper pan gives you better heat distribution.
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are sweeter than green peppers, which can be slightly bitter. Choose based on what your family prefers!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex