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!
Love this? Next time try Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel!
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❤️ 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 perfect 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.
- 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 use store-bought.
- 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 as well and give this dish even more Tex-Mex flavor.
- 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, really whatever you'd prefer. Pre-shredded cheese won't melt as well, but it will still taste yummy!
- 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.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Cook beef and onions, add taco seasoning and cook the spaghetti to al dente in a large pot of boiling water.
- Add in the cream of chicken, cheddar cheese soup and Rotel to the taco meat.
- Simmer the sauce and meat mixture on the stove for just a couple minutes, mixing it together well.
- Add the cooked spaghetti.
- Mix everything together well.
- Place in prepared casserole dish, top with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly!
🙋♀️ FAQ's
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 the perfect combination of creamy and cheesy. The amount of spice is just right and everyone loves this meal!
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!
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.
👍 Tips
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!
Best tip? 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. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments until hot. Or bake until warm and bubbly.
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.
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
- pickled jalapeños, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne or green chilies for a little heat!
- top it with a spoonful of your favorite salsa - yum!
Top with extra cheese for that big cheesy stretch!
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!
- If you love this recipe, be sure to try the Taco Salad Casserole next!
- I love the beefy pepper combination of this Unstuffed Bell Pepper Casserole - better than stuffing the peppers because you save time by omitting all the fussy prep!
- One of my favorite cheesy pasta recipes is Monterey Chicken Spaghetti - so good!
- Super delicious Chicken and Broccoli Pasta - just like Cheesecake Factory - so yummy!!!
- Chicken Divan has tender, juicy chicken, broccoli all wrapped in a cheesy sauce!
- This Cowboy Casserole is stuffed with beef and topped with tater tots and cheese - what's not to love?!!!
- Salisbury Steak - this classic favorite has rich brown gravy and only five ingredients!
- This old fashioned tuna and noodle casserole has always been one of my favorites. Another great dish that's creamy, cheesy and delicious!
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 appetizers if you're serving a crowd.
Then make a garden salad to go along with it - yum, what a great combination! You could also make a big taco salad to serve alongside.
Some pan-fried vegetables would compliment the meal as well.
Warm tortillas to pass would be yummy as well.
For dessert make a batch of Strawberry Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies - these are easy to make and so good! Leftovers cookies (is that possible?!!) can be enjoyed throughout the week!
Taco Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef can substitute ground turkey or chicken
- 1 onion 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.
- 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Don't worry, we'll never share your email.Originally published March 21, 2021 - updated October 13 to improve instructions.
