Crock Pot Taco Pasta
Crock Pot Taco Pasta combines everything you love about taco night with a cheesy, hearty pasta dinner. The pasta cooks right in the slow cooker near the end, soaking up plenty of that seasoned taco flavor. With just 15 minutes of prep, it’s an easy family dinner for busy weeknights.
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Why This Recipe Works
I brown the ground beef before it goes into the Crockpot because it adds more flavor and prevents large clumps of meat. Adding the pasta during the last 30 minutes also keeps it from becoming overly soft during the long cooking time.
The combination of Rotel, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning gives the pasta plenty of flavor without needing a separate sauce. I stir freshly shredded cheddar in at the end so it melts smoothly and makes everything cheesy without overcooking.
If taco night is always popular at your house, my Taco Ramen is a fun way to change things up. Slow Cooker Beef Taco Casserole is another easy Crockpot dinner, while Taco Roll Ups make a simple option for parties, snacks, or dinner.
Slow Cooker Taco Pasta Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Ground Beef: Ground beef makes this pasta hearty and gives it that familiar taco-night flavor.
- Onion: Diced onion cooks with the beef and adds extra savory flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic goes into the skillet with the beef and onion for another layer of flavor.
- Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite brand or homemade taco seasoning.
- Green Bell Pepper: Diced green pepper adds a little texture and flavor without making the pasta spicy.
- Chicken Broth: Broth is the liquid that you cook the pasta in; it adds flavor and moisture.
- Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce gives the cooking liquid some body and becomes part of the sauce.
- Rotel: Diced tomatoes and green chiles add tomato flavor along with a little heat. Choose mild, original, or hot depending on your spice preference.
- Fire Roasted Corn: Frozen fire roasted corn adds a slightly smoky flavor that works especially well with the taco seasoning.
- Medium Pasta Shells: Shells catch plenty of the cheesy taco sauce. Other short pasta shapes work well, too.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar melts into the pasta at the end, making everything cheesy and creamy.
- Cilantro: Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the finished pasta for a fresh pop of flavor and color.
Substitutions and Variations
- Change the Meat: Ground turkey or ground sausage can replace the ground beef.
- Add Beans: Stir in a drained and rinsed can of black or pinto beans for an even heartier meal.
- Switch the Pasta: Macaroni, penne, rotini, or cavatappi can replace the shells. You can even use spaghetti for taco spaghetti.
- Turn Up the Heat: Add cayenne, red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, or serranos for a spicier version.
- Choose Your Rotel: Use mild, original, or hot Rotel depending on how much heat you want.
- Cook the Pasta Separately: Prepare the pasta on the stovetop and reduce the Crockpot liquid by about 1 cup.
How to Make Crock Pot Taco Pasta
STEP 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and garlic.
STEP 2: Cook until the beef is browned and the onion has softened. Drain off any excess grease.
STEP 3: Stir the taco seasoning into the beef, then transfer everything to a 6-quart Crockpot.
STEP 4: Add the green bell pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, Rotel, and frozen fire roasted corn. Stir to combine.
STEP 5: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
STEP 6: During the last 30 minutes, stir the uncooked pasta shells into the Crockpot.
STEP 7: Cover and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, checking until the pasta is tender.
STEP 8: Add the freshly shredded cheddar and gently stir until combined.
STEP 9: Cover for another 5 to 10 minutes, giving the cheese time to melt.
STEP 10: Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and add your favorite taco toppings before serving.
Tips for Making Crock Pot Taco Pasta Bake
- Brown the Beef First: Browning adds more flavor and keeps the ground beef from cooking into large clumps.
- Watch the Pasta Closely: Slow cookers vary, so begin checking the noodles around the 20-minute mark.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar melts more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese.
- Keep the Rotel Liquid: Add the tomatoes and green chiles undrained because that liquid helps cook the pasta.
- Wait to Add the Cheese: Stir it in once the pasta is tender so the cheese stays creamy instead of cooking for hours.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Easy Crockpot Taco Bake
- Adding the Pasta Too Soon: Pasta cooked for several hours in the Crockpot will become overly soft and mushy.
- Forgetting to Drain the Beef: Excess grease can make the finished sauce oily.
- Draining the Rotel: You need that flavorful liquid as part of the cooking sauce.
- Overcooking the Noodles: Check them frequently near the end because pasta can go from tender to too soft quickly.
- Leaving Out Too Much Liquid: Uncooked pasta absorbs a lot as it cooks, so don’t reduce the broth unless cooking the pasta separately.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze leftovers, but the pasta may be softer after thawing. Store in a freezer-safe container and thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through. Add a splash of broth if the pasta has absorbed too much sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Load up your bowl with cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, shredded cheese, sour cream, or a squeeze of fresh lime. Add Sautéed Broccoli Rabe for a simple vegetable side or Little Caesars Crazy Bread for something warm and cheesy. A cold Pineapple Agua Fresca makes a refreshing drink alongside all those taco flavors.
FAQs
Yes. Add the uncooked pasta during the final 30 minutes, so it has enough time to become tender without turning mushy.
Yes. Cook it until al dente and reduce the broth or water in the Crockpot by about 1 cup. Stir the cooked pasta in near the end.
Use hot Rotel or add jalapeños, serranos, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. You can also offer sliced peppers as toppings.
More Crockpot Recipes to Try
- Crockpot Chili Mac combines two comfort food favorites into one hearty slow cooker dinner.
- Classic Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta for an easy soup night.
- Smoked Sausage and Potatoes make a hearty slow cooker dinner with minimal hands-on prep.
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa gives you tender shredded beef that’s perfect for tacos, bowls, and other Mexican-inspired meals.
- Three Packet Pot Roast cooks low and slow until tender for an easy family dinner.
Final Thoughts
This is a fun recipe to pull out when you’re stuck choosing between tacos and pasta for dinner. It also gives everyone plenty of room to customize their bowl with whatever taco toppings they like.
Try this crockpot taco pasta for your next taco night, and let me know which toppings you added. Save the recipe so you have another easy slow cooker dinner ready for a busy week.
Crock Pot Taco Pasta
Equipment
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the Taco Pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth or water
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn
- 8 ounces uncooked medium pasta shells
- 1 ½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro for topping
Optional Toppings
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced serrano peppers or jalapeños
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic.
- Cook, breaking the beef apart with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning into the ground beef mixture until evenly combined.
- Add the seasoned beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the diced green bell pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes and green chiles, and frozen fire-roasted corn. Stir until combined.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Add the pasta. During the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir the uncooked pasta shells into the slow cooker. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Cooking times can vary between slow cookers, so begin checking the pasta early to prevent it from becoming too soft.
- Sprinkle the freshly shredded cheddar cheese over the taco pasta. Gently stir until combined.
- Cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the pasta is hot and creamy.
- Spoon the Crockpot Taco Pasta into bowls and top with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve warm with avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, shredded cheese, or lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Use a 6-Quart Crockpot: This size gives the ingredients enough room to cook without crowding the slow cooker.
- Warm the Broth First: Starting with warm broth can help the Crockpot return to temperature faster after adding the pasta.
- Give the Pasta One Good Stir: Stir after adding the shells so they are submerged and don’t stick together while cooking.
- Let It Rest Before Serving: Give the finished pasta about 5 minutes to sit so the sauce can settle and cling to the shells.
- Keep Toppings Separate: Set out toppings at serving time so leftovers store better and everyone can customize their own bowl.
Nutrition Information
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