Easy recipes are always worth knowing because we all have those hectic weeknights when the last thing we want to do after a long, hard day is stand over a hot stove for hours. This one is super-easy and everyone is going to rave about the wonderful flavors in every mouthful.
This tasty recipe is like an Italian-Mexican fusion dish, pairing pasta and taco seasoning with a kick of chile from the Rotel and also plenty of cheese and creamy chicken soup. You can use another soup if you prefer, such as cream of mushroom or cream of celery.
Baked pasta dishes are always good and this one is no exception. Spaghetti isn’t just for pairing with meatballs, you know! It also works brilliantly in this simple taco spaghetti recipe which combines no more than a few different ingredients yet yields a magical result.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe
You are going to love how easy this recipe is to make as well as how tweak-able it is. You can use another kind of meat, another kind of pasta, or even sneak some vegetables in there for the kids!
How to Serve It
Enjoy this hot, paired with a simple green salad or maybe some broccoli, green beans or peas. If you don’t mind the extra carbs, it’s really good with garlic bread.
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Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes, you can prepare it in advance and put it in the baking dish. After that, cover with foil and refrigerate. When you’re ready to cook, let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats up and then cook until piping hot in the middle (it might take a little longer because you’ll be cooking it from cold).
Storage Instructions
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can be microwaved or warmed back up in a pot on the stove.
Variations and Substitutions
Swap the beef for pork, the spaghetti for penne, fusilli, tagliatelle or in fact any kind of pasta you prefer. Swap the cheddar for Mexican blend cheese if you prefer that.
You’re really going to enjoy this delicious spaghetti taco bake, as it’s a real breeze to prepare and tastes wonderful. Even the leftovers taste great.
Cheesy Taco Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 10½ ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces cubed Velveeta
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes with chiles
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the spaghetti for one minute less than what it says on the package.
- Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and discard the rest.
- Cook the meat in a skillet and then drain off the grease.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and ¼ cup water, the soup and the tomatoes.
- Add the Velveeta and cook until it melts, then stir in the ¼ cup of reserved spaghetti cooking water.
- Put the spaghetti in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Pour the cheese mixture over the spaghetti
- Extra cheese for topping
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbling hot.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
- Enjoy!