Hearty, cheesy, and easy to make, our Taco Pasta Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner.

Taco Tuesday Meets Comfort Food

Our Taco Pasta Casserole is the best of both worlds—classic tacos and a hearty casserole. Our Taco Pasta Casserole will feed the whole family on the cheap and might just become your preferred way to enjoy your favorite taco flavors.

If you’re looking for more Taco Tuesday inspiration, check out our Taco Pasta Salad, Creamy Taco Soup, Easy Ground Beef Tacos, and One Pot Taco Spaghetti.

Why You'll Love this Taco Pasta Casserole

Two servings of Taco Pasta Casserole in bowls with toppings on a table.

It’s filling. Like most good casseroles, this meal will not leave you feeling hungry. It’s a great meal to pull out when you need a hearty meal that the whole family will love.
It’s easy to make. This recipe isn’t complicated. Once you’ve cooked the pasta and ground beef, you can assemble everything and bake. 25 minutes later, you’ll have a hot meal on the table! Your folks don't even need to assemble their own tacos! Just scoop and enjoy.
Simple ingredients. We’re not dealing with anything fancy here, just some staple pantry ingredients that are easy to get your hands on!
Leftovers. Ever tried to reboot some taco leftovers? Yeah, those soggy tortilla shells are not gonna have that. But guess what? This Taco Pasta Casserole is built for the second act! It makes the perfect microwaved lunch for the next day and it can even go in the freezer!

Key Ingredients for Taco Pasta Bake

Ingredients on a table for a Taco Pasta Casserole recipe.

Pasta - You can’t have a pasta casserole without pasta! We used tri-color rotini for this recipe (cuz it's pretty), but you can also use shells, cavatappi, or penne.
Ground beef - You’ll need a pound of beef.
Homemade taco seasoning - We recommend that you use this homemade taco seasoning, but you can also use store-bought if you’re in a rush.
Tomatoes - You’ll need tomato sauce and a can of tomatoes and green chiles.
CHEESE - We used shredded Mexican blend cheese, but you could substitute a cheddar and pepper jack blend instead.

How to Make Cheesy Taco Pasta Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, then set aside.
Brown the beef and onions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up into large chunks and spreading it evenly across the pan. Allow to brown, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until browned on all sides, about 7-8 minutes total. Add the onion and saute until softened, another 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease then sprinkle the mixture with taco seasoning.

Add sauces. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes and green chilies, sour cream, and frozen corn. Heat through, taste, then season as needed with additional salt and pepper.
Combine. Add the ground beef mixture to the cooked pasta, stirring to combine.
Add cheese and bake. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, then top with cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
Serve with your favorite taco toppings!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

The casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and kept in the fridge. Take the pan out of the fridge while the oven preheats. Bake as usual.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Reheat large portions in the oven. Single portions can be microwaved.

A scoop is taken out of a Taco Pasta Casserole.

FAQs

1. Do you cook pasta before baking?

Yes. You’ll want to cook the pasta until al dente.

2. How long is taco casserole good for in the fridge?

Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

3. How do you reheat taco pasta?

Reheat large portions in the oven. Single portions can be microwaved.

A bowl of Taco Pasta Casserole topped with sour cream, jalapenos and cilantro.

More Casserole Recipes

You can’t go wrong with casseroles! Here are some of our favorites: Tortellini Bake, Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole, and Cheesy Company Casserole.

What to Serve with a Beef Taco Pasta Casserole

Wondering what to serve with a hearty casserole? We’ve got you covered! Check out these great side dishes: Skillet Garlic Green Beans, Easy Garden Salad, and Homemade Amish Bread.

📖 Recipe

Taco Pasta Casserole

With simple ingredients and easy instructions, this Taco Pasta Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Calories: 318kcal

Ingredients

For cooking:

12 ounces rotini pasta
Olive oil (to coat)
1 lb. ground beef
1 yellow onion (chopped)
2 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
15 oz. can of tomato sauce
14.5 oz. can of tomatoes and green chilies
¼ cup sour cream (plus more for serving)
1 ½ cups frozen corn
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

For serving:

Cilantro
Jalapeno
Sour cream
Shredded lettuce
Crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, then set aside.
Brown the beef and onions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up into large chunks and spreading it evenly across the pan. Allow to brown, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until browned on all sides, about 7-8 minutes total. Add the onion and saute until softened, another 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease then sprinkle the mixture with taco seasoning.
Add sauces. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes and green chilies, sour cream, and frozen corn. Heat through, taste, then season as needed with additional salt and pepper.
Combine. Add the ground beef mixture to the cooked pasta, stirring to combine.
Add cheese and bake. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, then top with cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
Serve with your favorite taco toppings!

Notes

This casserole can be served with any and/or all of your favorite taco toppings. We liked it with extra sour cream, cilantro, jalapeno, and crushed tortilla chips.
Could add additional vegetables, like bell peppers.
Could sub a cheddar and pepper jack blend for the cheese.
Can use other pastas, including shells, cavatappi, or penne.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:

The casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and kept in the fridge. Take the pan out of the fridge while the oven preheats. Bake as usual.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Reheat large portions in the oven. Single portions can be microwaved.

Equipment

large nonstick skillet

9 x 13 inch baking dish

wooden spoon

chefs knife

cutting board

can opener

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword beef taco bake, cheesy taco pasta bake, ground beef pasta casserole, pasta casserole, taco casserole, taco pasta bake, taco pasta casserole

Nutrition