Creamy Taco Pasta Bake

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword baked taco pasta, creamy taco pasta bake, ground beef pasta bake, Mexican pasta bake, taco pasta, taco pasta bake, Tex Mex pasta bake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 585kcal

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C)
If making from scratch, cook the ground beef in a splash of oil until browned. Add the seasonings and tomato paste with a splash of water. Cook until saucy and well-coated.
If using frozen taco meat, defrost and warm in a pan with the beef stock. Combine the milk, creamy and cornstarch and whisk together then pour into the taco meat. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for 5-8 minutes.
In a separate pan, cook the sliced peppers and onions over high heat until slightly charred on the edges and tender but still with some bite - approximately 8-10 minutes. Season with the taco seasoning.
Cook the pasta in a large pot until just al dente in well-salted water for 8 minutes (1 minute less than package instructions) and drain.
Add the cooked pasta and sautéed peppers and onions to the taco meat.
Toss until everything is well coated. At this point you can serve it as is for a creamy stovetop taco pasta.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into a baking dish.
Add a generous layer of grated cheese then add the remaining pasta and finish with a final layer of cheese, covering the entire surface.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling.
Rest for 5 minutes then serve.

I always make my full taco meat quantity and freeze in two equal portions to make recipes like this easier. This equates to around 4 cups of taco meat per portion, perfect for a family of 4-6.