Taco Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti noodles
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion (small, diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (28 g packet)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (411 g can)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (284 g can; mild, such as Rotel)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 170 g shredded cheddar cheese (divided; half is stirred into the sauce and half is used for topping)
• 0.5 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper (to taste; salt is also used to season the pasta water)
• optional toppings (chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, or diced avocado)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti noodles and cook until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil or vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

3. 3

   Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess grease if needed.

4. 4

   Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and stir well.

7. 7

   Pour in the diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chilies, beef broth, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

8. 8

   Add the drained spaghetti to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, toss to coat the pasta evenly, and simmer for 3–4 minutes so the flavors meld.

9. 9

   Stir in the sour cream and half of the shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy.

10. 10

    Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and let the dish sit for 1–2 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

11. 11

    Garnish with optional toppings such as chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, or diced avocado. Serve hot.

Notes

The structured recipe data specifies sour cream and pre-cooked spaghetti; the body excerpt contains conflicting alternate directions involving cream cheese and cooking the pasta directly in the sauce, so those directions were not used. The source does not provide storage or reheating instructions.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• weeknight meal
• Tex-Mex
• cheesy
• pasta
• beef
• one-pot style
• comfort food