One Pan Taco Mac and Cheese 🌮 (Easy 30-Minute Skillet Ground Beef Dinner)
Looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s packed with flavor and ready in just 30 minutes? This One Pan Taco Mac and Cheese combines seasoned ground beef, tender pasta, and gooey melted cheese—all cooked in one skillet for easy cleanup. It’s a family-friendly recipe that delivers the bold flavors of tacos in comforting mac and cheese form. Whether you’re feeding picky eaters or meal prepping for the week, this dish is sure to become a regular in your dinner rotation!
We love Mexican food at our house. When I am struggling to fix something for supper, I know I can make anything Mexican and everyone will be happy. Mix it with a copycat Hamburger Helper and the family is also doubly happy. If you love this pasta taco skillet you will also want to try the taco rice and ground beef skillet.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- ⏱️ Ready in 30 minutes
- 🍝 One pan = easy cleanup
- 🧀 Cheesy, creamy, and full of taco flavor
- 👨👩👧👦 Kid-approved and picky-eater friendly
- 🌮 Great way to stretch a pound of ground beef
One-Pan Taco Mac and Cheese Ingredients
There is always a request for hamburger helper at my house. I seriously want to cry when I get the request. Not that I am not looking for an easy meal, but I can make meals with real non-powdered cheese. Which is exactly what I did with this one pan taco mac and cheese. To make this alternative to Hamburger Helper you will need these ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Macaroni
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Taco Seasoning
- Corn
- Shredded Mexican Cheese
How to Make Taco Ground Beef and Macaroni Skillet
Start with browning either ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork in a large skillet like my Le Creuset braiser. Honestly, sausage would work in this recipe too. When the meat is completely browned, drain the grease and return to the skillet. Add the pasta, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, corn, and water.
You need to cover the pasta completely with the water. Bring to a boil and then turn down a slow boil or simmer and cover. Cook till the pasta is tender and liquid is pretty much gone, stirring occasionally. Good time rule of thumb is the amount of time on the pasta box.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Sprinkle additional cheese over top and place the lid back on to let the cheese melt. Top with diced tomatoes, onions and cilantro.
Garnish the taco ground beef and macaroni skillet with sour cream or black olives or jalapenos if you are supreme taco type of person. Otherwise, just have the kids fill their plates and get dinner underway. If you have leftovers, they reheat like a charm. So, you might get lucky and get two meals out of this one.
🔄 Recipe Variations
- 🔥 Add heat: Mix in jalapeños or use spicy taco seasoning.
- 🫘 Make it meatless: Use black beans or lentils instead of meat.
- 🧄 Boost the flavor: Sauté onions and garlic with the beef.
- 🥦 Sneak in veggies: Stir in chopped bell peppers or zucchini with the pasta.
🧊 How to Store and Reheat
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
- Freezer: Not ideal, as pasta may become mushy.
FAQ
Can I use a different kind of pasta?
Yes! Macaroni, penne, rotini, or bowtie pasta all work well.
Is this dish spicy?
Not as written. To spice it up, use hot taco seasoning or diced jalapeños.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, but it’s best fresh. Leftovers reheat well with a bit of extra liquid.
Easy Hamburger Helper Alternatives
One-Pan Taco Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground beef pork, turkey or chicken
- 12-16 ounces of pasta like macaroni One whole box
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 envelope of taco seasoning
- 2 cups of corn frozen or canned
- 4 cups of water approximate, enough to cover the pasta
- 2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Fresh tomatoes green onions, cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Start with browning either ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork in a large skillet like my Le Creuset braiser.
- When the meat is completely browned, drain the grease and return to the skillet.
- Add the pasta, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, corn, and water. You need to cover the pasta completely with the water.
- Bring to a boil and then turn down a slow boil or simmer and cover.
- Cook till the pasta is tender and liquid is pretty much gone, stirring occasionally. Good time rule of thumb is the amount of time on the pasta box.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Sprinkle additional cheese over top and place the lid back on to let the cheese melt.
- Top with diced tomatoes, onions and cilantro.
Nutrition
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This is like crack pasta. I wanted to eat it all as soon as I made it. I cooked the onions so nothing was uncooked on top, also used chili powder And extra package of taco seasoning, absolutely delicious! I highly recommend this !
This was so yummy!! Quick and easy, too! M