This easy one-pot Taco Macaroni is a cheesy, family-friendly weeknight dinner made with lean ground beef, pasta, bell peppers, and taco seasoning—high protein, all cooked in one pot in under 30 minutes.
One Pot Taco Macaroni
If you enjoy my homemade hamburger helper, I think your family will love this taco macaroni recipe. It combines taco night with mac and cheese for the ultimate weeknight comfort meal, done in less than 30 minutes. What’s not to love?! This weeknight dish packs over 30 grams of protein per serving, and the best part is that everything cooks in one pot. Many of you have been asking for more one-pot recipes so I have been busy testing. I love cooking this way so much so much that I even wrote a whole cookbook dedicated to it, Skinnytaste One and Done, which is one of my most popular cookbooks.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Macaroni
This cheesy taco macaroni skillet checks all the boxes:
- Less mess, less stress: One pot = easy cleanup
- Family-friendly: Kids love it, and adults can add toppings to make it spicier or fresher.
- Balanced: Made with lean ground beef and veggies for a lighter twist on classic cheesy pasta.
- High in Protein: One serving contains more than 30 grams of protein!
If you’re looking for more high-protein recipes, my new Skinnytaste High Protein with over 100 recipes with 30 grams of protein or more, was just released!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients you need for this healthy taco pasta recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Ground Beef: Choose 93% lean ground beef for a lighter option that still delivers plenty of rich, savory flavor without too much grease.
- Taco Seasoning: Buy your favorite or make homemade taco seasoning with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and other spices.
- Vegetables: Chopped onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper
- Rotel is canned diced tomatoes with green chiles.
- Beef Broth: The pasta needs liquid to cook, so we’re using beef broth, which provides more flavor than water.
- Milk adds creaminess. Use whichever type of milk you like—2%, whole, or almond./
- Pasta: I made this dish with macaroni (AKA elbows), but baby shells, rotini, or any other small pasta shape would work.
- Cheese: Use a Mexican blend or Monterey Jack. Shredded cheddar works too.
How to Make Taco Mac and Cheese
No need to boil the pasta separately! Everything cooks together in one skillet in this easy taco pasta. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Cook the Beef and Vegetables: Brown the beef with the taco seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for a few minutes.
- Cook the pasta: Add the tomatoes and broth, then bring to a boil. Add the pasta, ensuring the liquid completely covers it. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and cook until the pasta is nearly tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Don’t forget to stir! Remember to stir halfway through to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. (If the pasta is still boiling when you put the lid on, you may need to stir it more at the beginning until it reaches a simmer.)
- Add the milk, turn the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the cheese: Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
Tips and Variations
- Protein swap: Use ground turkey or bison for a leaner option.
- Vegetarian taco macaroni: Omit the beef and add a can of black beans.
- No beef broth? Chicken or vegetable broth will work. You can also use water and beef bouillon.
- Don’t like peppers? Swap them for corn or omit.
- Boost the protein: Substitute high-protein pasta and beef bone broth.
- Dairy-free: Use almond milk and vegan cheese.
- Spice level: Add jalapeños if you want some heat.
- Toppings: Take it over the top with cilantro, scallions, or extra cheese.
- What should I do with the extra quarter pound of beef? You can use the whole pound if you wish or use it to make a single hamburger patty for a quick lunch, or brown the meat with taco seasoning and use it in a breakfast quesadilla or egg scramble.
What to Serve with Taco Macaroni
This dish is hearty enough on its own, but you can pair it with a light side to round out the meal:
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This taco macaroni and cheese freezes well. Portion it into freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Thaw the dish in the fridge the day before. Then, heat it in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of broth or milk to thin the sauce. You can also microwave the frozen dish longer if you forgot to thaw it in advance.
More One-Pot Family-Friendly Dinners You’ll Love
For more easy dinner ideas, check out these five delicious one-pot recipes to inspire your next meal!
- Taco Soup
- One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Ground Turkey Taco Skillet
- Beef Chili Recipe
- One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta
Taco Macaroni
Ingredients
- ¾ pound 93% lean beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, homemade or package
- ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 10 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup milk
- 8 ounces macaroni, elbows, baby shells, etc (or gluten-free pasta)
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese, or Monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large, deep skillet on medium high heat and add the beef and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces until browned, 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and bell peppers; cook until aromatic; 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the canned tomato and beef broth and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and make sure to submerge pasta into the liquid.
- Lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway until the pasta is almost tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Uncover, add the milk, and cook, covered stirring periodically medium-low until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, uncover and add cheese. Stir to combine
I made this a couple days ago and just remembered that I needed to write a review. DE-LICIOUS!! Hubby LOVES it, the only “issue,” not enough cheese, for HIM. 😊 I’m good with the cheese. Here’s another SkinnyTaste recipe in rotation!
This is so good! I added a little chilli powder and a 1/4 cup velveeta it was good on our rotation now!
Very good but next time, I’ll double or triple the taco seasoning. Seemed kinda bland to me.
Very easy and delish! I did use “mild taco seasoning” cause we like a little spice.
So so good ! it was funny I made this tasted it thought this is so good! Son made a bowl went downstairs i said to my husband wait he will be up again saying he wants more! 10 min later up saying that is amazing! Only add on was a some velveeta !
I made your taco macaroni last night for dinner and my husband and I loved it. I also made your taco seasoning. Doubled the seasoning recipe and put it in a mason jar. The only change that I made was using Violife Mexican shredded cheese as I am lactose intolerant. GREAT recipe.
Thanks Maria!
This is a go-to around every 2-3 weeks. Easy for the weeknights because you’re chopping only three things. Everything else moves nicely while your beef is browning and while other things are cooking, and all of it in just a single pan. Cleanup is also easy. So the taste is outstanding as it levels up hamburger helper, takes no skill, the groceries are minimal and inexpensive, and depending on how many you’re cooking for, it makes a perfect lunch leftover (and one you look forward to).
For that reason, it’s good for your early-week rotation. This is in my top 5 of skinnytaste.
Thank you!
I love this recipe, I make this for my 2 year old when she won’t eat anything else I make and she will eat two helpings!
I had ST’s taco seasoning in the cupboard from a prior recipe, so this one came together really quickly. I like stronger flavors, so I doubled the amount of spice mix (I tend to double the seasoning in a lot of recipes). Other than that, followed the recipe. The taco mac was very creamy and comforting. The portion size is suitably large, so I felt satiated for only ~500 kcal. Paired with some roasted veg for a very complete meal. I’ll definitely make this again.
Family loved this! I found the recipe easy to add ingredients & amounts. I doubled the recipes. I also added mushrooms & 2 jalapeños. Tons of flavour & easy to make!! ❤️❤️❤️
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed it!
One of our favorites! Got a fast growing kiddo with iron deficiency, so the bell peppers are great for iron absorption! Not the cheese so much, lol! But we made it with gluten free noodles tonight, because gluten allergy family member, and you need to reduce the liquid for that!
I loved this!! I made it using cassava macaroni and it turned out amazing!
Aweswome, thanks for sharing!
Family loved this recipe. We used Gluten Free Red Lentil Rotini. Delicious and easy.
This was really good. I followed the recipe, but did add half a large jalapeño; used chicken broth iso beef, and chopped some roasted red pepper strips in lieu of a red bell pepper as that’s what I had on-hand; everything else I left as is. Thank you for sharing such a great, quick and easy meal my family enjoyed. I will definitely be making this again.
Delicious! Husband kept saying how good this recipe is. Used ground turkey instead.
Can you guys help me brainstorm here? I can’t eat tomatoes. I have jarred roasted red peppers and can go buy the little can of green chiles. Would that work? What other ideas? Add some applesauce or vinegar for the acidity?
Yes I think roasted red peppers (or sauteed red bell pepper) and chiles would work. ACV for acidity. Let me know what you sub and how it comes out. 🙂
So good
This is delicious. I did swap the beef out for ground turkey and used chicken bone broth! So tasty.
My family loves this meal !
Made it the g-f vegan way, using TVP, gf pasta & veggie broth & plant-based cheese shreds. It was sooo good!!
Thank you for this great, easy, adaptable recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Made it twice in one week. My boyfriend loves it and my nutritionist approved it so I’m calling it a win. Yummy and easy!
Made tonight for dinner. Will definitely be in rotation going forward. My husband asked me where I got the recipe which he has never done before. Made exactly as is and added 1 jalapeño seeded.
This was good, 4/5 stars. I made this with gluten free pasta (Jovial brand) and followed the directions exactly and it held up! I meal prepped this for my lunch for the week. I would definitely make this again but in the future I would add black beans as some others have mentioned.
If you believe hamburger helper makes a great meal, you will love this one. The Rotel and the real cheese makes this a much better version.
My husband loves Kraft mac and cheese so I tried this delicious recipe for a nice twist on his old favorite guilty pleasure. He loved it. Bonus! It is much healthier.
This is SO good and easy. Fit into my meal plan, high protein, and my husband devoured it.
Usually, when I’m really hungry, I go for quantity not quality. With this “one pot wonder” I had both! SOOOOOO easy and delicious!
This is really good! 10/10! I ended up subbing ground chicken for the ground beef and subsequently chicken broth, and it’s really good! I use Gina’s taco seasoning from her Taco Boats recipe for my taco seasoning (instead of the store bought packet) and used that!
My husband loved this recipe! I loved that it came together so quickly and cleanup was a breeze. I used ground turkey as my husband cannot eat beef , but it still had great flavor. Plus, I had most of the ingredients on hand.
Followed measurements and directions exactly. Way too much liquid.
Amazing flavor, and the leftovers are even better! I know it says 3/4 lb of ground meat, but I used the whole lb since that’s how we buy it. It was too much. Would use 1/2 lb next time. Used cavatappi pasta. Will make again.
Oh my!!!! I made this tonight and it is SO good. I love these one-pot recipes. I followed the recipe as is with two exceptions – I used ground turkey instead of ground beef and used the entire pound of meat. It has a slight “kick” to it, which didn’t bother this “likes-things-mild” lady. The portion size is quite generous!! Thanks, Gina, for another GREAT recipe. I appreciate you for creating such wonderful recipes that help make meal time so much easier, especially since I’m not creative in the kitchen 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent! Full of flavor and Homemade Hamburger Helper vibes!!!!
This recipe was easy and delicious!!
This is delicious and so easy. It tastes even better the next day.
This is a great recipe, so delicious and filling. I doubled the taco seasoning and used Monterey jack cheese. Will make again!
Made this tonight as directed and it was delicious! A slight kick from the Rotel and lots of flavor. Thanks for another great recipe, Gina!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really delicious, quick and easy recipe. I tried it tonight for dinner and loved it! Definitely going to add it to my monthly rotation of weeknight dinners. We swapped beef for ground chicken and beef broth for chicken broth. Also used a packet of spicy taco seasoning and it tasted delicious.
The best part about this dish is that it makes A LOT! I will definitely make it again but next time in my Dutch oven. I used ground turkey and served it with bread rolls and a side salad. Delicious
We used some ditalini pasta that I had on hand, and it came out amazing. My husband fully approved too, so that’s a win! We will absolutely be making this again – thanks for an easy recipe that turned out to be a hit in my house!
Flavor was good but mine ended very soupy and the cheese just melted away.
Super quick and easy! I added additional taco seasoning. Will definitely make this again!
I used the whole pound of ground turkey so I wouldn’t have a small bit leftover to deal with. I only used 4 oz elbow pasta and didn’t put in the milk and that is just right for my tastes. I only used about 1/2 cup cheese but may add more tomorrow. Oh, and I might add some black beans also. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling well tonight so will get the real taste tomorrow.
So easy and so delicious! I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because mine looked a little oily. That might be on me though.
Don’t you have to drain the ground beef?
Very good! I used ground chicken because I had it thawed and needed to use it. Also added a bit more taco seasoning because we wanted it spicy. I will put some in my Souper Cubes to freeze for a later date.
Can you use regular diced tomatoes or extra beef broth if you don’t have a bouillon cube?
This uses beef broth
Will this work with plant-based ground meat as well?
I’m planning on trying it that way. I looked up suggestions for swapping, and found it might copy best by adding a little bit of oil at the start. And for the veggie broth to give it a more savory flavor add some Worcester sauce
You used to include WW points in your recipes. I have been appreciative of that through many years of following you. Is there a re a son uou stopped? It was very helpful.
Its still there! It says 11 in the round blue circle.
This looks great and exactly what my family would like to eat. thanks for posting!
This recipe looks great but I need a high protein with a low carb recipe. Do you have recipes with high protein but low carbs??
I have so many! Easiest way is to use the recipe index at the top, slide the slider to the amount of protein and check off low carb.
Reminds me of your goulash recipe, which I love! Any tips on how to convert this to instant pot use (I struggle with getting pasta cooked correctly in the one pot method)? Could I assume I just use essentially that recipe except sub the taco seasoning instead of the paprika, etc?
This would change a bit in the instant pot with less time, but I have not tested. This recipe was very easy to make!
This recipe is marked Gluten Free. How is that possible if it contains pasta? The recipe does not specify ‘gluten free’ pasta.
In the ingredient list is the option for GF pasta 🙂