Made with juicy ground beef and gooey Monterrey jack cheese, this Easy Taco Spaghetti Casserole is the perfect weeknight meal. This family favorite dinner recipe is so delicious, it’ll have everyone asking for seconds!
If you want to round out your meal, try serving this tasty spaghetti casserole with these Easy Garlic Knots or my Loaded Mexican Dip with Pico De Gallo.
In This Post
If you love tacos—and who doesn’t—you will LOVE this casserole. I’ve combined spaghetti with some of my favorite taco flavors and made it into a casserole that’s so stinking good.
Why This Taco Spaghetti Casserole Is So Good
- This no-frill dish is one of my favorites for busy weeknights and potlucks.
- It’s all made in one skillet. After tossing everything together, I Transfer it to whatever baking dish is easiest—including aluminum pans—for easy clean-up!
- This casserole is freezer-friendly, so I can have a hearty dinner even when you’re short on time!
Ingredients For This Taco Casserole with Spaghetti Noodles
- Ground Beef – I like using a lean blend of 5% fat.
- Spaghetti Noodles – I don’t recommend angel hair pasta for this spaghetti bake because it tends not to hold up well. Any spaghetti-style noodles like bucatini, fettuccine, or linguine will work.
- Taco Seasoning – I always use my homemade taco seasoning but you can use a premade mix too.
- Tomatoes & Chiles – I’ve combined these ingredients because they all go into making the delicious sauce. You’ll need diced tomatoes, tomato sauce (not marinara), and canned diced green chiles.
- Cheese – I blend Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese for extra creaminess. I recommend grating your own cheese for the best reliability. Shredded cheese is fine; it just has a potato starch or similar anti-clumping additive that makes melting the cheese harder. A Mexican cheese blend will work, too.
Variations And Additions
- Add pimento peppers or roasted bell peppers for a sweet burst of color.
- Substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- For a little heat, add finely diced jalapenos to the sauce.
- Mix black beans and corn to add more protein and vegetables.
How To Make This Taco Spaghetti Recipe
- Preheat the oven and prepare a 13×9 casserole dish with non-stick spray. Per the package directions, cook the spaghetti in salted water over medium-high heat.
- Cook the ground beef and drain the fat. Add the other ingredients except the cheese and cook until thickened. Then stir in the noodles and finally the cheeses.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Donya’s Success Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. It should be al dente, which means tender but still a bit resistant when bitten.
- Save a little cheese: I like to save a little cheese to sprinkle on the top. this creates that bubbly golden top!
- Make a double batch: This is nearly the same amount of work, but you can freeze the second one for a last-minute dinner.
Common Asked Questions
You can freeze it before baking it. Once cooled (from being on the stovetop), keep the casserole in an air-tight and freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven until heated.
You don’t have to, but you should. If you are short on time, you can stir in the cheese in the skillet. Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheese until melted. Then, take it off the heat, sprinkle a little bit more cheese on top, and cover the pot for a few minutes—just enough to melt the cheese.
How To Serve a Taco Spaghetti Bake
I often serve this casserole with a fresh green salad and homemade salad dressing and tortilla chips. It’s great with Mexican Corn Dip, Avocado Salsa and Green Chili Cheese Cornbread for a meal with friends as well.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
If you tried this Taco Spaghetti Casserole Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro-Tel mild)
- ½ cup water
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti (1 box)
- 1 ½ cup Monterrey Jack cheese – shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese – shredded
- chopped tomatoes and chives for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions making sure to salt water. When done, drain. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef along with onion. When beef is no longer pink, drain off any excess fat. Add taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chilies (DO NOT drain), water and tomato sauce. Mix and cook until sauce has thickened, approximately 8 minutes. Add spaghetti and mix well. Add in 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese and stir. Pour spaghetti mixture into prepared dish. Top with remaining Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted and golden.
- Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Top with chopped tomatoes, chives and sour cream. Serve!
Nutrition
Donya's Top Ten Summer Recipes!
Steal my favorites for a done-for-you menu that packs in the flavor
I used a 16 oz jar of taco sauce in place of the tomato sauce and left out the 1/2 cup of water. Yummy!
Can you freeze this spaghetti? And if you can, would you freeze it before baking or after. Also, how would you defrost and bake?
We love it.
This will quickly become a favorite for weeknights!
I just ate 2 plates of this casserole and it was very good! I like spaghetti and tacos so this was a great combination. Thanks for sharing the recipe,.
Thank you so much for sharing, Doreen! I am so glad you liked it.
Have a wonderful day,
XO ~Donya