Tacos taste great in any form, but these Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells are a unique and tasty spin on the more traditional version!
Taco salad, taco pie, soft and hard-shelled tacos, nachos, taco burritos…these are all varieties in which I’ve enjoyed the yummy dish in my lifetime. Which is your favorite? I honestly can’t answer that question, but today’s recipe falls high on my list of preferred ways to eat a “taco”.
Combine pasta and some flavorful meat, along with your favorite toppings, and you’ve got an easy meal that resembles a taco, but is a fun switch-up!
Tacos seem to be a go-to “I’m feeling lazy tonight” kind of meal…at least for me. My husband always knows when it’s been “that kind of day” based on what we have for dinner. If the kids have been naughty, I usually opt for tacos or pasta because they’re simple and stress-free, which is what I need after cleaning up an entire jug of slippery laundry detergent that’s been dumped on the floor, putting a fit-thrower in time out a dozen times, and tried to keep my sanity in-tact when an ornery one-year-old refused take her scheduled nap. Life as a mother is eventful! But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🙂
I’ve still never heard any complaints, though, when I “cop out” and serve tacos, so I’m going to keep it up. I could probably eat them twice a week and not grow tired because there are so many cool ways to enjoy them! Do you feel like that too?
{TACO-STUFFED PASTA SHELLS}
Adapted from Taste of Home
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 envelope taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup (4 oz.) sour cream
2 Chopped green onions for topping
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted.
Fill each shell with about 3 Tbsp. of meat mixture. Pour salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, green onions, olives, tomatoes and lettuce if desired.
My family loves these. I hope yours does too!
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