The Cozy Cookbook is here! This Taco Spaghetti Recipe has the best of both worlds: Classic flavors of tacos combined with savory homestyle spaghetti. The ingredients in this recipe blend together perfectly for the best combination of flavors. Your family will want this meal every week!
Taco Spaghetti
I’m pretty sure that this Taco Spaghetti is the only way I will make spaghetti from now on! It has so much incredible flavor. The meat is cooked in beef broth and taco seasoning which makes it so tasty, you’ll be chasing the meat with your fork!
The sauce is incredibly savory and cheesy with subtle flavor enhancers that makes it pop! It pairs perfectly with spaghetti and is something that even picky eaters will love.
I’ll reveal one genius secret ingredient: A dab of cream cheese. It adds a cool offset to counteract the acidity of the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, and subtly mimics the flavor of sour cream, which is a must with tacos! (I even add it with regular spaghetti, once you try it, you’ll be hooked.)
Be sure to check out my PRO tips below!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook and crumble the ground beef and drain grease. Add beef broth and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Set aside once cooked and add tomato juice to deglaze the skillet. Add diced onions and soften.
Add tomato paste and garlic. Add diced tomatoes and combined taco sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
Stir taco meat into the sauce and simmer while you boil spaghetti. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese until combined.
Add drained spaghetti and toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Pro Tips
- Broth: It may seem counterintuitive to use chicken broth for the sauce instead of beef broth, but the flavor contrasts nicely with the beef. Beef broth may be used instead if preferred.
- Flavor Enhancers: The mustard powder and hot sauce are used as flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce and the final outcome isn’t spicy, unless you use spicy taco seasoning.
- Cheese: I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow – it’s very soft and melts well. Monterey Jack cheese works really well in this recipe as well.
- Shred the cheese from a block as it will melt and taste much better than bagged grated cheese.
- Tomato Paste: I use tomato paste tubes to measure smaller amounts, you can store the tubes in the fridge for zero waste!
- Pasta: I use slightly less than 3/4 lb. spaghetti for this as I like extra saucy pasta. Other varieties of pasta may also be used, including penne, ziti, and rotini!
- Diced Jalapeno Peppers make a great addition to this and can be added when the onions are added!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze/reheat well.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 3-Quart Stainless Steel Sauté Pan– The same size as pictured in this recipe.
- Box cheese grater – Cheese based sauces (and soups) should always be made with freshly grated/shredded cheese, as it melts much creamier and tastes better.
- 1 quart measuring cup with a spout– This is what I use to combine the sauce ingredients at the beginning. The spout makes it easy to add gradually.
- Pasta Strainer– I have this one and love it.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
Try These Next
-
- Cajun Chicken
-
- Cheese Pasta
-
- Chicken Spaghetti
-
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
-
- Baked Tacos
-
- Ranch Pork Chops
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Tried This Recipe?
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Taco Spaghetti
Ingredients
Sauce
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth, see notes
- ½ cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, see notes
Taco Spaghetti
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2/3 cup beef broth
- 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes, juices reserved
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar Cheese, see notes
- ¾ lb. Spaghetti
- Fresh cilantro, to garnish
Equipment
Instructions
Prep Work
- Combine sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. (Tomato sauce, chicken broth, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and hot sauce).
- Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning. Separate the juice from the diced tomatoes (about ¼ cup).
Make the Sauce/Pasta
- Cook and crumble the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes. Drain grease and return to heat. Stir in the beef broth and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Begin boiling a pot of water for the pasta. When the pasta reaches a boil, salt it generously. (I use 3/4 tbsp. Kosher salt.)
- Add the reserved diced tomato juice to the skillet and use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet. Reduce the liquid by half.
- Add the onions and butter and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes. Slowly stir in the sauce mixture (from step 1 of prep work). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Stir the taco meat into the sauce and simmer, uncovered, while you boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the cream cheese and gradually sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, stirring continuously, until incorporated.
- Add the drained pasta (I like to add slightly less than ¾ lb. for extra saucy pasta)!
- The sauce will thicken and the spaghetti will continue to absorb the sauce upon standing.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve!
Notes
- Broth: It may seem counterintuitive to use chicken broth for the sauce instead of beef broth, but the flavor contrasts nicely with the beef. Beef broth may be used instead if preferred.
- Flavor Enhancers: The mustard powder and hot sauce are used as flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce and the final outcome isn’t spicy, unless you use spicy taco seasoning.
- Cheese: I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow – it’s very soft and melts well. Monterey Jack cheese works really well in this recipe as well.
- Shred the cheese from a block as it will melt and taste much better than bagged grated cheese.
- Tomato Paste: I use tomato paste tubes to measure smaller amounts, you can store the tubes in the fridge for zero waste!
- Pasta: I use slightly less than 3/4 lb. spaghetti for this as I like extra saucy pasta. Other varieties of pasta may also be used, including penne, ziti, and rotini!
- Diced Jalapeno Peppers make a great addition to this and can be added when the onions are added!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze/reheat well.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
Made this today & it was delicious!!
I’m so happy to hear that Stefani! Thanks so much for the great review!💗
🤤 I haven’t made a new dish in awhile and I was craving to do so. Made this tonight for the 1st time and it was such a flavorful pasta dish. The smells while cooking made it difficult to wait for dinner. I highly recommend making this dish. So darn good, I may have to double recipe next time so we have enough for leftovers. Nom nom nom!
I’m so happy it was such a success Jenn, nice work!💖 Thanks so much for the great review!
Hi Stephanie, just wondering what you mean by tomato sauce?
Hi Katherine! It’s the same thing as Passata! 🙂
I made this recipe tonight (minus the hot sauce) and my family really enjoyed it. I was confused by step 3 adding the reserved tomato juice. Is this the rotel diced tomato juice? I skipped this step altogether and added the diced tomatoes with juice in step 5 and it turned out fine. I also used 1/2 lb of shell pasta instead of spaghetti and it worked great. It seemed too saucy at first but thickened up nicely.
HI Kara!! I’m soooo happy that you loved this recipe!! Yes, the tomato juice is what was reserved from the diced tomatoes. I just updated it to say “diced tomato juice” when it comes time to add that ingredient! 🙂 Thank you so much for the review, I appreciate it so much! -Stephanie
This recipe was a little intimidating at a glance, but really not difficult at all. Your directions are always very precise and clear. I loved how easily it all came together by following your recipe and tips. I shredded my cheese and did the prep work as per your suggestions and directions. I’m slow in the kitchen and it took me 1 hour and and 15 to complete. It came out delicious. It has such nice depth of flavor. Everyone enjoyed this meal.
Hi Cindy!! I’m sooooo happy that you enjoyed the Taco Spaghetti!! I appreciate your kind words about my instructions, pro tips, etc.- that made my day! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review! You’re the best! -Stephanie
My husband just happened to buy ground beef over the weekend so I made this tonight. Absolutely delicious. All ingredients we have on hand normally. Thanks for the great recipe!
AWESOME Shanna!! I love when I have everything on hand to make a recipe! 😉 You are the best, I’m so glad that you liked it, thank you soo much for the review!! -Stephanie
This is a fabulous take on traditional spaghetti and we sure are both Italian AND Mexican food lovers in this household! It is soooo creamy and delicious. I loved your suggestion to add diced jalapeno peppers as we do love a little kick. The cream cheese suggestion is genius for sure and I will be doing that going forward with all of my pasta recipes. Basically if you like tacos, you’ll love this dish!!! We will be making this regularly going forward because the kids are in love with it. Thank you so much!
I’m so happy everyone is enjoying it Mandy, especially the kids! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and leave a review!💖
Made this last night. A little bit of prep time but was worth in the end. Husband and daughter thought it was a little spicy but other than that will keep in rotation.
Hi Kelly!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it and that it’ll be staying in the rotation!! Thank you! I would make sure you’re using mild taco seasoning and mild Rotel. You could also use mini diced tomatoes instead of Rotel as well! 🙂
I haven’t made this yet, but I’m a bit confused. Ingredient list says beef broth, but in the steps it says chicken broth. Also, how many ounces of tomatoes should be used? Can you clarify this for me before I make it? Looks delicious and can’t wait to make this. Thanks very much.
Hi Cindy! Beef broth and chicken broth are both used in this recipe. Chicken broth is used to make the sauce, and those ingredients are combined together in step 1. Beef broth is used when cooking the ground beef. Rotel tomatoes come in 10 oz. cans. Can’t wait for you to try it, I’d love to know what you think! 🙂 -Stephanie