Save to Pinterest One afternoon, my kitchen smelled like a taco truck had parked itself in my apartment. I'd been craving that comfort-food clash of ground beef and melted cheese, but honestly, I was too tired to juggle five pans. So I dumped everything into one pot, held my breath, and waited. When the pasta soaked up all those spices and broth, something magical happened—every bite tasted like it had been simmering for hours, even though I'd made it in under 40 minutes.
The first time I served this to friends for a casual weeknight dinner, they kept asking for the recipe—and I loved watching them realize it was just one pot. There was something satisfying about their surprise, like I'd pulled off a magic trick just by being lazy in exactly the right way.
Ingredients
- Ground beef, lean (1 lb): Use the leanest option you can find—the less fat you drain away, the less flavor escapes with it.
- Small onion, diced (1): One small onion is enough to perfume the whole pot without overpowering the taco spice.
- Garlic, minced (2 cloves): Fresh garlic will taste noticeably better than garlic powder here, even though the seasoning mix might contain it.
- Taco seasoning (2 tbsp): Store-bought works fine, but if you want control, mix cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt yourself.
- Salt and black pepper (1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp): These seem small, but they help balance the canned tomatoes' acidity.
- Beef or chicken broth (2 cups): The broth becomes sauce as the pasta cooks, so choose one you'd actually drink—it matters.
- Diced tomatoes, canned (14.5 oz, undrained): Keep the juice; it's your secret ingredient for depth.
- Dry pasta (2 cups): Penne, rotini, or shells work best because the shapes catch the sauce.
- Shredded cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups): Don't grab pre-shredded if you can avoid it—it melts unevenly because of the anti-caking powder.
Instructions
- Brown the beef:
- Set your skillet over medium-high heat and let it get hot before adding the beef. You'll hear it sizzle immediately, which means the meat will brown instead of steam. Break it into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks—this takes about 5 minutes.
- Build the flavor base:
- Once the beef is no longer pink, add your diced onion and minced garlic. The sizzle should quieten down, and you'll smell something savory and sweet. Stir often for about 3 minutes until the onion softens and the garlic stops smelling sharp.
- Season generously:
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning, salt, and pepper evenly over the beef and vegetables. Stir hard—you're coating everything so each bite has the same taco flavor, not just the pieces near the seasoning.
- Add the liquid and pasta:
- Pour in your broth and the canned tomatoes with all their juice, then scatter the uncooked pasta over everything. Don't worry if it looks like too much liquid—the pasta will drink most of it.
- Simmer until tender:
- Bring it to a boil (you'll see bubbles at the edges first), then lower the heat so it's gently simmering with the lid on. Stir occasionally, every 3 or 4 minutes, so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom. After 12 to 15 minutes, the pasta should be tender and the liquid mostly absorbed—you want it saucy, not dry.
- Melt in the cheese:
- Turn off the heat and add your shredded cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each handful disappears. The residual heat will melt it into something creamy and luxurious.
Save to Pinterest My nephew once asked me why I loved making this dish so much, and I realized it was because something shifts when you cook like this. You're not performing a recipe—you're just feeding people, and they taste that difference.
Why This Works as a One-Pot Meal
The genius of this dish is that the pasta becomes your thickener. As it cooks, it releases starch into the broth, which creates a light sauce without any cream or roux. The canned tomatoes add acidity and slight sweetness that play perfectly against the beef and taco spice, and everything stays warm because you're never draining or transferring hot pasta. It's the opposite of fussy—you build it once and leave it mostly alone.
Simple Swaps That Actually Work
Ground turkey makes this lighter without tasting like a sacrifice, and ground chicken disappears into the sauce so completely that no one will notice it's not beef. For toppings, sour cream is traditional, but Greek yogurt gives a tangier kick. Fresh cilantro feels like a garnish, but it's actually the thing that makes people say it tastes restaurant-quality. If you don't have any on hand, a handful of sliced jalapeños stirred in before the pasta cooks will give you heat that builds as you eat.
- Swap the cheddar for Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese if you want something creamier.
- Add a drained can of black beans or corn during the last 2 minutes if you want more texture without changing the cook time.
- A splash of hot sauce or a chopped jalapeño transforms this from comfort food to something with a real kick.
Making It Your Own
I've made this in a Dutch oven on a camping stove, in a large skillet on a weeknight, and once in a slow cooker (it works, but the pasta gets softer than ideal). The recipe is forgiving because the one-pot method creates its own rhythm—you can't mess it up easily because everything is in conversation with everything else. Once you make it twice, you'll stop checking the recipe and start trusting your instincts about when it's done.
Save to Pinterest There's something deeply satisfying about a meal that tastes like you care but takes less than an hour. This is the one I make when I want to prove that good food doesn't require a lot of pretense.
Recipe Questions
- → What type of pasta works best in this dish?
Short pasta shapes like penne, rotini, or shells hold up well during cooking and absorb flavors nicely.
- → Can I substitute ground beef with other proteins?
Yes, ground turkey or chicken are excellent alternatives for a lighter option.
- → How can I make this meal spicier?
Add chopped jalapeños with the onions or increase the amount of taco seasoning to taste.
- → Is it possible to make this gluten-free?
Replace regular pasta with gluten-free varieties to keep the dish gluten-free without sacrificing texture.
- → What toppings enhance the flavor and texture?
Fresh green onions, sour cream, and chopped cilantro provide freshness and creaminess that complement the rich pasta.