These floor beef Taco Stuffed Shells are the proper fusion of Italian consolation meals and traditional Mexican flavors. They’re a straightforward, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that brings a enjoyable twist to taco evening, good for when you’ll be able to’t resolve between pasta and tacos. Why select, when you’ll be able to have each!

What You’ll Love About this Taco Shells Recipe
- Taco Flavors – These savory stuffed taco shells characteristic tender jumbo pasta shells full of seasoned floor beef, zesty taco spices, and melty cheese.
- Widespread Substances – This recipe options elements which might be straightforward to seek out.
- Make-Forward Meal Prep– They are often absolutely assembled prematurely and chilled till you’re able to bake and eat!
- They’re Customizable – Arrange a toppings bar and let everybody end them off with their favourite taco toppings.
Substances to Make Straightforward Taco Stuffed Shells Recipe
Substances you’ll have to make Stuffed Taco Shells: (Scroll down for the total printable recipe card.)
- Pasta – One field of jumbo pasta shells.
- Protein – Lean floor beef varieties the bottom of the taco filling.
- Cheese – Shredded Mexican mix cheese OR shredded colby jack cheese for a tacky taste. As a result of who can eat tacos or pasta with out cheese?
- Salsa – Thick and chunky salsa for the hamburger filling. You should use delicate, medium or sizzling.
- Taco Sauce – Taco sauce is the “marinara” sauce for the highest. You should use delicate, medium or sizzling.
- Onion – Yellow onion or candy onion provides dimension to the taco meat.
- Oil – Olive oil for cooking the bottom beef.
- Seasonings – Taco seasoning, darkish chili powder, garlic powder or granulated garlic, seasoned salt and lemon pepper.
- Cream Cheese – One container chive and onion cream cheese binds and stabilizes the taco filling.
- Garnishes – Sliced inexperienced onions, black olives and cherry tomatoes for garnishing together with bitter cream for serving.


Make the BEST Stuffed Taco Shells Recipe
- Boil the Pasta – Cook dinner the pasta shells in salted boiling water, barely undercooking them. Drain nicely, then unfold in a single layer on a bit of parchment paper. (The shells can stick collectively as they cool, so don’t go away them stacked in a colander.)
- Warmth Oven and Put together the Baking Dish – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook dinner Hamburger and Onion – Cook dinner the bottom beef and onion over medium-high warmth till no pink stays within the beef. Drain extra grease from the pan.
- Add Salsa and Seasonings – Add the salsa, taco seasoning, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Stir within the cream cheese. Simmer simply till the cream cheese has fully melted.
- Add Shredded Cheese – Take away from the warmth, add shredded cheese, stir nicely.
- Divide the Taco Meat Combination – Divide the taco beef between the shells, round 1 1/2-2 tablespoons in every.
- Switch to Ready Dish – Prepare aspect by aspect seam aspect up within the ready dish. Drizzle the taco sauce over the shells, then prime with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
- Oven – Baked per the recipe till bubbly and the cheese is evenly golden brown.
- Serve – Serve topped with bitter cream and salsa garnished with inexperienced onions, olives and cherry tomatoes.
Ideas for Making Taco Stuffed Shells
- Kitchen Gear You’ll Want: Massive skillet, pasta cooker, sharp knife and chopping board, cheese grater, measuring spoons and 13×9-inch baking dish.
- Make-Forward Tip: You’ll be able to absolutely assemble these shells sooner or later prematurely, then cowl them with plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge. Permit them 15-20 minutes on the counter, then bake per the recipe including 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- When to Serve Taco Stuffed Shells: We love these shells any evening of the week for dinner with a salad, corn on the cob and corn muffins. They’re additionally a enjoyable selection for cinco de Mayo, entertaining associates, Taco Tuesday, recreation day and potluck events.


Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Protein: You can also make these shells with floor turkey, floor pork or floor rooster.
- Cheese: You should use cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese or monterey jack cheese for a gentle cheese taste.
- Greens: You may add one cup of drained and rinsed black beans or corn kernels to the bottom beef combination. You may additionally add both diced bell peppers or poblano peppers to the onion and floor beef.
- Selfmade Taco Seasoning: Use my recipe to make your personal Taco Seasoning Combine.
- Salsa: A thick salsa works finest for the filling. In a pinch, you could possibly adapt utilizing Rotel tomatoes and some tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken the taco filling.
- Taco Sauce: You may use a pink enchilada sauce rather than taco sauce for the topping.
- Toppings: You’ll be able to prime these shells with any of your favourite taco fixings. Add a dollop of guacamole, salsa verde, queso blanco or pickled jalapenos.
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers: Retailer leftover Taco Stuffed Shells coated with aluminum foil or in an hermetic container chilled within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in single servings within the microwave, an air fryer or in a preheated 350°F oven simply till heated via.
- Freezer: You’ll be able to freeze these shells previous to baking for as much as 2 months. Thaw them within the fridge after which organize in a baking dish, drizzle with taco sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheese simply earlier than baking per the recipe.
- Freezing After Baking: You’ll be able to freeze leftovers for as much as 2 months. Thaw within the fridge and reheat simply earlier than serving.


Extra Straightforward Mexican Recipes to Make


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Useful Kitchen Objects:
Taco Stuffed Shells
Servings: 8 servings (4 shells)
Energy: 563kcal
- 1 12 oz pasta shells
- 1 1/2 lb lean floor beef
- 1 medium yellow onion or candy onion
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 16 oz jar thick and chunky salsa (delicate, medium or sizzling)
- 4 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 tsp darkish chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 1 cup container chive and onion cream cheese softened
- 1 16 oz jar taco sauce (delicate, medium or sizzling)
- 3 cups shredded Mexican mix cheese OR colby jack cheese
- sliced inexperienced onion, black olives, bitter cream and diced tomatoes for garnishing
Cook dinner the pasta shells in a big pot of salted boiling water per the bundle directions, barely undercooking. Drain nicely, then unfold in a single layer on a bit of parchment paper. (The shells can stick collectively as they cool.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Drizzle a big skillet with olive oil. Cook dinner the bottom beef and onion over medium-high warmth till no pink stays within the beef. Drain extra grease from the pan.
To the bottom beef, add the salsa, taco seasoning, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Stir to mix, then add the cream cheese.
Simmer on low stirring simply till the cream cheese has fully melted. Take away from the warmth, add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese. Stir till evenly distributed.
Use a tablespoon to divide the bottom beef combination between the shells, round 1 1/2-2 Tbsp every. Prepare aspect by aspect seam aspect up within the ready dish.
Drizzle the taco sauce over the shells, then sprinkle the highest with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
Baked uncovered for 35-45 minutes till bubbly and the cheese is evenly golden brown.
Let stand for five minutes, then serve topped with bitter cream and salsa garnished with inexperienced onions, olives and diced tomatoes.
Cook dinner’s Word: Servings might differ relying on what number of shells are used. Some shells will break whereas boiling. Chances are you’ll find yourself with 30-36 stuffed shells.
- Protein: You can also make these shells with floor turkey, floor pork or floor rooster.
- Cheese: You should use cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese or monterey jack cheese for a gentle cheese taste.
- Greens: You may add one cup of drained and rinsed black beans or corn kernels to the bottom beef combination. You may additionally add both diced bell peppers or poblano peppers to the onion and floor beef.
- Selfmade Taco Seasoning: Use my recipe to make your personal Taco Seasoning Combine.
- Salsa: A thick salsa works finest for the filling. In a pinch, you could possibly adapt utilizing Rotel tomatoes and some tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken the taco filling.
- Taco Sauce: You may use a pink enchilada sauce rather than taco sauce for the topping.
- Toppings: You’ll be able to prime these shells with any of your favourite taco fixings. Add a dollop of guacamole, salsa verde, queso blanco or pickled jalapenos.
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 38g | Fats: 29g | Saturated Fats: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 8g | Trans Fats: 0.3g | Ldl cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1459mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1473IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 410mg | Iron: 3mg