Delish Slow Cooker Taco Pasta Recipes

I’m calling this dinner a weeknight hero: all the cozy taco flavors you crave, wrapped up in a creamy, cheesy pasta situation that basically cooks itself while you do literally anything else. Tender noodles, seasoned beef, salsa, a little cream cheese magic—it’s the set-it-and-forget-it meal that somehow tastes like you did way too much. Spoiler: you did not.

My husband is obsessed. The kids pretend they don’t like onions and then inhale two bowls. We’ve had this on a rainy Tuesday after soccer and on a “we forgot to grocery shop” Thursday, and it never fails. One time I started it at lunch, forgot about it, and remembered when the house smelled like a Tex-Mex hug. We ate it picnic-style on the living room floor and everyone was unreasonably happy. This one’s earned its spot on our forever rotation.

How to Make It

Okay, so here’s how I do it. I brown a pound of ground beef with a chopped onion in a skillet first—yes, it’s an extra pan, but it keeps things from getting greasy and gives flavor. Toss that into the slow cooker with a packet of taco seasoning (or about 2 tablespoons if you DIY), a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, 2 to 2½ cups beef broth, a scoop of salsa, a handful of frozen corn, and black beans if you’re feeling it. Stir, lid on, and let it do its thing on Low for 3–4 hours while you live your life.

When you’re about 30 minutes from eating, dump in 8 ounces of short pasta (rotini, shells, whatever you have). If it looks tight on liquid, splash in another half cup of broth. Crank to High. Stir once or twice so the pasta doesn’t clump. When the noodles are almost al dente, swirl in a few ounces of cream cheese and a big handful (fine, two) of shredded cheddar. It’ll go glossy and saucy—very yes. Salt, lime, cilantro, jalapeño if you’re brave. Serves 6, or 4 very hungry people with a little lunch leftover.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Ground beef (1 lb): I like 85/15 for flavor. If you skip browning, at least blot excess fat later so it’s not greasy-ville.
– Taco seasoning: Packet is perfect; homemade is 2 tbsp chili powder + cumin + paprika + garlic + onion + a pinch of sugar. Don’t skip the salt.
– Diced tomatoes with green chiles: Rotel brings the party. Mild or hot—your call. Fire-roasted = extra smoky.
– Beef broth (2–3 cups): Enough to cook pasta but not soup. Start with 2 to 2½ cups; add more as needed when the pasta goes in.
– Pasta (8 oz short): Rotini, cavatappi, macaroni. Avoid big rigatoni—they cook weird in slow cookers.
– Cream cheese (3–4 oz): This is the silk factor. I once added the whole block; no regrets, just a longer nap.
– Shredded cheese (2 cups): Cheddar, Colby Jack, or a taco blend. Freshly grated melts nicer, but bagged wins on Tuesdays.
– Corn + black beans: Frozen corn straight from the bag is fine. Rinse the beans so the sauce stays pretty.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet with a pinch of salt; drain.
2. Add beef, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with chiles, 2 to 2½ cups broth, salsa, corn, and beans to the slow cooker; stir.
3. Cook on Low 3–4 hours (or High 2 hours) until everything smells amazing and bubbly.
4. Stir in pasta and, if needed, ½ cup more broth; switch to High.
5. Cook 20–30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until pasta is al dente.
6. Fold in cream cheese and shredded cheese; rest 5 minutes, then season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime.

What to Serve It With

– Crisp green salad with a limey vinaigrette.
– Tortilla chips for scooping because we’re fun like that.
– Quick toppings: cilantro, sliced jalapeño, avocado, sour cream, pickled red onions, hot sauce.
– Cornbread or garlic bread if you’re feeding a crowd of carb lovers.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t drown it. Too much liquid = soup. Start conservative; add a splash when the pasta goes in.
– Stir the pasta once or twice so it doesn’t clump or cook unevenly.
– Cheese goes last. Add it early and it can get grainy—wait until the end for silky sauce.
– Salt at the finish. Taco seasoning and broth are salty; taste before finishing.
– Need speed? Use High and shave some time, but keep an eye on that pasta.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Cool it down, then stash in airtight containers up to 4 days. A splash of milk or broth when reheating brings the sauce back to life.
Freezer: It freezes, but the pasta softens. If that bugs you, freeze the meat-sauce part and add fresh pasta later. 2–3 months is the sweet spot.
Cold straight from the container? Absolutely. It eats like a taco pasta salad and I am not above that. Also, breakfast with a fried egg—no shame, just joy.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Protein swap: Ground turkey or chicken works. For vegetarian, skip meat and add extra beans or crumbled tofu with taco spices.
– Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free cream cheese and melty DF shreds, or skip and stir in a little cashew cream.
– Heat level: Mild salsa for kids, hot salsa + chipotle for spice lovers.
– Gluten-free: Use a sturdy GF pasta (brown rice or chickpea) and watch the cook time—GF can go from perfect to mush fast.
– Veg boost: Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach at the end. Corn stays, always.
– Pantry SOS: No broth? Water + 1 tsp bouillon. No taco packet? Chili powder + cumin + garlic + onion + paprika + salt.
– Sweet tweak: A pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey balances acidity if your tomatoes are extra bright.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Slow Cooker Taco Pasta Recipes

Creamy, cheesy slow cooker taco pasta loaded with seasoned beef, beans, corn, and a zesty salsa-tomato base. An easy weeknight family favorite!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
• ▢ 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
• ▢ 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoon taco seasoning
• ▢ 1 cup salsa choose mild, medium, or hot
• ▢ 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes with green chiles if desired
• ▢ 1 cup tomato sauce
• ▢ 3 cup beef broth
• ▢ 15 ounce black beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup frozen corn
• ▢ 12 ounce dry rotini pasta
• ▢ 4 ounce cream cheese, cubed softened
• ▢ 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped optional, for serving

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; drain excess fat.
• Add diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds.
• Transfer the beef mixture to a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker. Stir in taco seasoning, salsa, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, black beans, corn, salt, and pepper.
• Cover and cook on LOW for about 3.5 hours to develop flavor.
• Stir in the dry rotini, making sure the pasta is submerged in liquid. Cover and cook on HIGH until pasta is al dente, 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway. If needed, add a splash of hot broth or water.
• Reduce heat to LOW. Stir in cream cheese and half of the shredded cheddar until melted and creamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve warm topped with remaining cheddar and cilantro.

Notes

For a lighter option, swap ground turkey for beef. Adjust heat with mild or hot salsa and extra taco seasoning. Add a squeeze of lime before serving for brightness.