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Home » Recipes » Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Creamy Taco Spaghetti Recipe

Published: Jun 5, 2024 · Modified: Apr 17, 2025 by Debra Clark · 27 Comments

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

This easy, cheesy, creamy, Taco Spaghetti Recipe is a dish to totally die for! What's not to love about this simple Tex-Mex meal?!! This family favorite meal will even bring your picky eaters back for seconds!

Spaghetti taco casserole in a baking dish, with a serving spoon scooping out a serving.
Doesn't this cheesy taco spaghetti casserole look delicious? I know you want to dig right in!
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe 
  • 🗒️ Ingredients
  • Taco Spaghetti Casserole
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🙋‍♀️ FAQ's
  • Top Tip
  • Variations
  • Related recipes
  • Serve with

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe 

You'll love it because your whole family will gobble it up! And I mean the entire family. You won't be fighting your way through dinner and everyone will be begging for seconds!

It's great for taco night and a great twist on your ordinary tacos and traditional spaghetti!

🗒️ Ingredients

You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients for the taco spaghetti bake. For the exact measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

All of the ingredients needed to make the recipe, with print overlay for clarification.
Ingredients for Creamy Taco Spaghetti
  • pound of ground beef - ground chicken or turkey will also work! I haven't tried sausage, but I think that would be really good as well.
  • uncooked spaghetti noodles - you can use any noodles you have in your pantry; penne, linguine, elbow or even twisty rotini. Use that pantry!
  • a packet of taco seasoning - or make your own taco seasoning!
  • cream of chicken soup - you can substitute with cream of celery or mushroom, really any cream soup. Personally, I prefer cream of chicken.
  • cheddar cheese soup - Queso would work great and give this dish even more Tex-Mex flavor. Velveeta cheese or cream cheese is a great substitute as well.
  • evaporated milk - heavy cream, half and half or whole milk would be a good substitute.
  • cheese - I used Colby Jack but you can use cheddar, mozzarella, Mexican cheese blend, mozzarella cheese, really whatever you'd prefer. Pre-shredded cheese won't melt as well, but it will work for this recipe.
  • one medium yellow onion, red or white onion.
  • Rotel diced tomatoes - if you can't find Rotel use a can of fire roasted tomatoes with a tablespoon of canned diced green chiles. Salsa would be a great substitute as well.
Cheesy taco spaghetti casserole with a spoon scooping out a serving.
4.97 from 27 votes

Taco Spaghetti Casserole

A fun twist on Taco Tuesday, this Mexican flavored pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food recipe! This delicious kid-friendly family dinner is a meal the whole family will love!
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Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Lunch or Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 487kcal
Author: Deb Clark

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef can substitute ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 pound spaghetti noodles broken into thirds
  • 10.5 ounce cream of chicken soup
  • 10.5 ounce cheddar cheese soup
  • 12 ounce evaporated milk
  • 10 ounce Rotel do not drain
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • optional garnishes are your favorite taco toppings! sour cream, thinly sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, olives

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 9x13 casserole dish by spraying with non-stick coating, set aside.
  • Break spaghetti into thirds. Cook the spaghetti in a large stockpot to al dente, drain well.
  • While pasta cooks, brown ground beef and onions together over medium heat in a large skillet. Drain fat if necessary, add the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine.
  • Add the cream of chicken, cheddar cheese soup, evaporated milk and Rotel tomatoes to the seasoned ground beef mixture. Simmer the sauce together on the stove for just a couple minutes, mixing it together well.
  • Add the cooked spaghetti and half the shredded cheese. Mix everything together well.
  • Spoon the cheesy spaghetti into the baking dish, top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
  • If desired broil for 3-4 minutes to brown the top of the casserole.

Notes

To get a golden brown crust on the top of the casserole, place it under the broiler  for 3-4 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!
Don't over cook the pasta! Because it will finishing cooking in the oven you want to bake it to al dente.

Storage

Allow to cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container, covered in the refrigerator. It will keep 3-5 days.  This dish freezes great. Place leftovers in a sealed container and freeze up to three months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments until hot. Or bake until warm and bubbly.
 

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    Nutrition

    Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 761IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 3mg

    🔪 Instructions

    This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

    Step-by-step instructions to make the recipe. With print overlay for clarification.
    This simple taco spaghetti bake is a simple recipe and an easy weeknight meal!
    1. Preheat the oven, spritz casserole dish with non-stick spray for easy clean up.
    2. Cook beef and onions, add taco seasoning and cook the spaghetti to al dente in a large pot of boiling water.
    3. Add in the cream of chicken, cheddar cheese soup and Rotel to the taco meat.
    4. Simmer the sauce and meat mixture on the stove for just a couple minutes, mixing it together well.
    5. Add the cooked spaghetti to the meat sauce.
    6. Mix everything together well.
    7. Place the spaghetti mixture in the prepared casserole dish, top with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly!

    🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

    This combination sounds odd, is it any good?

    I think this is the most asked question! Of course I wouldn't put this recipe on the blog unless it was delicious, but seriously - it's fabulous. It's a tasty combination of creamy and cheesy. The amount of spice is just right and everyone loves this meal!

    Do I need to take the time to bake the dish?

    Actually no! If you don't have the time to put this in the oven. Mix the spaghetti with the sauce well and simmer for about five minutes on the stove over low heat. Remove from the heat. Top with cheese, add the lid and allow the cheese to completely melt. Serve and enjoy!

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Absolutely! Save yourself some time on those days you don't feel like cooking or split the casserole for a smaller family and place half in the freezer.

    Cheesy spaghetti casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon.
    Creamy Taco Spaghetti

    Top Tip

    Cook pasta to al dente! It will finish cooking in the oven. Don't overcook the pasta.

    • To get the golden brown crust on top of this Creamy Taco Spaghetti, broil the casserole for 3-4 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!
    • Don't forget to spritz the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, it makes for easy clean-up!

    Variations

    Do you prefer a spicier version - include several shakes of your favorite hot sauce. Trust me, this will just get yummier! (Is that a word?... Well it is in my book! 😋)

    You can stretch this meal even further by adding;

    • black beans
    • corn (frozen or canned will work. If you use canned be sure to drain it well)
    • sliced black olives
    • diced tomatoes
    • onions

    Season with pickled jalapeños, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne or green chilies for a spicy kick! Or serve the casserole with a spoonful of your favorite salsa - yum!

    You can easily make this one-pot taco spaghetti by cooking and draining the pasta and then cooking the meat mixture. Use a 5-quart dutch oven. Combine the ingredients and top with extra cheese for that big cheesy stretch!

    Creamy taco spaghetti in a casserole dish with a serving spoon.
    Taco Spaghetti to die for!

    Related recipes

    If you're in charge of dinner then casseroles are King! Like this great recipe for beef noodle casserole - YUM! Or Taco Stuffed Shells. Here are more of our favorite easy recipes the whole family will enjoy!

    I have to say, I'm all about the casserole. Of course, you may already know that, right? Taco Spaghetti Casserole Step 1

    • If you love this recipe, be sure to try the Taco Salad Casserole next!
    • I love the beefy pepper combination of this Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole - better than stuffing the peppers because you save time by omitting all the fussy prep!
    • This Cowboy Casserole is stuffed with beef and topped with tater tots and cheese - what's not to love?!!!

    Serve with

    You're going to love how easy this Mexican casserole is to make!

    Start your meal by making this easy refried bean dip recipe. It's so simple and would be a great appetizer if you're serving a crowd.

    Then make a garden salad to go along with the Mexican spaghetti casserole - yum, what a great combination!

    Serve with warm tortillas. I'm telling you even your picky eater will gobble up this meal!

    This taco spaghetti casserole brings the bold Tex-Mex flavors you love—all wrapped up in cheesy, comforting pasta goodness! It’s an easy weeknight dinner that feeds a hungry crowd and keeps the “what’s for dinner?” panic at bay - love that!

    If you make it, leave a comment and five-star rating below—I’d love to know what you think! And if you share your saucy skillet on Instagram, tag me @bowl_me_over so I can see the taco-night magic happening in your kitchen!

    More Cinco de Mayo Recipes

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    • Mexican Fruit Salad topped with Tajin in pink bowl.
      Mexican Fruit Salad Recipe
    • Crockpot filled with chicken enchilada casserole with a serving spoon.
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    29.2K shares

    About Debra Clark

    Hey I'm Deb Clark, and I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over! We live in the sleepy little town of Scappoose, Oregon. And I admit it... I love food! Join me in this foodie journey (even if you've never cooked before!) I will help you learn to be confident in the kitchen! Want to learn more? Let's stay connected, you can email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

    Comments

      4.97 from 27 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jackie Butler says

      August 14, 2024 at 10:27 am

      4 stars
      Tasty but too many noodles for the beef ratio. Will try again adding more beef and seasonings etc.

      Reply
      • Debra Clark says

        August 15, 2024 at 8:24 am

        Fair enough Jackie! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and will personalize it for your fam and taste buds. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate your support on the blog.

        Reply
    2. Lois says

      December 12, 2023 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      This is a family favorite give it a try. Oh so good.

      Reply
    3. Queen says

      November 19, 2023 at 5:34 pm

      Could I use 2 cups of Velveeta and still use the cheese soup? I'm doubling the recipe

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        November 20, 2023 at 6:32 pm

        I've never used Velveeta in this recipe, but I do believe it would work. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Barb DeVinney says

          December 01, 2023 at 6:16 pm

          What is the serving size for the nutrition info?

          Reply
          • Bowl Me Over says

            December 01, 2023 at 7:17 pm

            There are 8 servings in the recipe, so segment the casserole accordingly. Enjoy Barb, this is a great recipe!

            Reply
            • amy morris says

              September 15, 2024 at 2:29 pm

              5 stars
              Yummy it has become a family favorite!!

            • Debra Clark says

              September 17, 2024 at 7:16 pm

              Fantastic!

    4. Christina says

      November 07, 2022 at 10:45 pm

      5 stars
      I couldn’t believe how incredibly good this turned out! I followed the recipe exactly as written except couldn’t find a can of cheese soup anywhere so used most of a 15 oz. jar of generic brand dip for nachos that I found at Food 4 Less/Kroger’s in its place. I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow and there’s enough left to freeze for another meal next month. A definite keeper recipe!!

      Reply
    5. Julie says

      November 06, 2022 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      My family love this. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        November 07, 2022 at 6:45 am

        Thanks Julie - we love this Taco Spaghetti Recipe, I'm glad it's a hit with your family!!

        Reply
    6. Beth says

      October 26, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      What's the purpose of using evaporated milk over regular milk?

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        October 26, 2022 at 6:08 pm

        The evaporated milk is creamier than regular milk.

        Reply
    7. Sheila says

      October 23, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe! Thank you so much for posting.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        October 23, 2022 at 1:37 pm

        Wonderful, that Taco Spaghetti recipe is to die for, just so yummy! Glad it was a hit!

        Reply
    8. Kylie says

      July 17, 2022 at 4:32 pm

      I make this all the time in my house . Everyone loves it !! So glad I came across this easy but delicious recipe !!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        July 17, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        Thanks Kylie, it's a keeper, we love it too!

        Reply
      • Mitchell says

        November 14, 2022 at 6:14 pm

        So I can use regular milk?

        Reply
        • Bowl Me Over says

          November 14, 2022 at 6:50 pm

          You can Mitchell, I'd use whole milk or half n half. I like evaporated milk because it's creamier. This Taco Spaghetti Casserole is so yummy, enjoy!

          Reply
    9. ColleenB.~Tx. says

      March 15, 2022 at 7:08 am

      Looks so delicious that I will be making this later in the week.
      Thank You for providing us with some wonderful looking dishes to try.
      It does get boring at times with me preparing hubby's favorite dishes all the time. I think the only thing that I would change is the ground beef and use Italian sausage or pork sausage in place of.
      Enjoy your day and have a wonderful week.
      'Today Is A Good Day To Have A Good Day.'

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 15, 2022 at 8:59 am

        That will be super delicious Colleen - enjoy the casserole and you have a fabulous day as well!

        Reply
        • Tami says

          November 04, 2022 at 12:06 pm

          5 stars
          My whole family loves this recipe and I can't believe it! They're all picky eaters but when it came down to it they were all asking for seconds!! Thank you for the recipe!!❤️❤️

          Reply
    10. Bettina says

      November 16, 2021 at 5:39 am

      Could you use velveeta in this recipe? Thank you

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        November 16, 2021 at 5:58 am

        Hey Bettina! Yes you could substitute one cup of velveeta for half the cheese for the sauce portion. I'm sure that would make it even creamier. I would still top with one cup of shredded cheese because I really love that crust on the top of the casserole. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the casserole!!

        Reply
    11. Fran says

      March 13, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing !!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        March 13, 2021 at 6:28 pm

        Thanks Fran, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! It's a favorite!

        Reply
    Blogger Deb Clark smiling at camera holding a plate filled with a casserole.
    Welcome to Bowl Me Over!

    Hey I'm Deb Clark! I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over. We live in a sleepy little town just north of Portland in the beautiful Pacific Northwest... (read more)

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