Why You Will Love Taco Stuffed Shells

If you are looking for a simple dinner option, these taco stuffed shells will quickly become a favorite for your family. This comforting dish combines classic Mexican seasonings with tender pasta shapes. Because it requires basic ingredients, you can whip it up on any busy weeknight without stress.

How to Make Easy Taco Stuffed Shells

First, you need to brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the grease. Next, stir in the taco seasoning, salsa, and cream cheese until the mixture becomes smooth. Consequently, the filling stays moist and rich while baking inside the oven. Finally, assemble everything in a baking dish and top heavily with cheese.

Easy Taco Stuffed Shells

A simple, comforting weeknight dinner that brings together seasoned ground beef, creamy cheese, and jumbo pasta shells.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 19 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground beef
• 12 oz jumbo pasta shells
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend

Method

 

1. Cook the jumbo pasta shells in boiling water according to the package directions, keeping them slightly firm. Drain them and lay them out separately on foil to prevent sticking.
2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains, then drain the excess fat.
3. Turn the heat to low, then stir the taco seasoning, salsa, and softened cream cheese into the beef until fully melted and combined.
4. Pour half of the red enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.
5. Spoon the beef mixture generously into each cooked pasta shell and arrange them closely in the dish.
6. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the shells and scatter the Mexican cheese blend evenly over the surface.
7. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling at the edges.

Notes

Bring your cream cheese to room temperature before stirring it into the beef so it incorporates smoothly without leaving white lumps.

Boil two or three extra pasta shells because a few almost always tear open in the boiling water.

You can easily assemble this entire dish the morning before, cover it with foil, keep it in the fridge, and just add five minutes to the baking time at night.