If your family loves taco night and pasta night, this Slow Cooker Taco Pasta needs to be on repeat in your dinner rotation. Made with ground beef, salsa, black beans, corn, and pasta simmered in a cheesy taco-flavored sauce, this easy crockpot dinner is hearty, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Most of the work happens right in the slow cooker. They're magical that way. Just brown the beef, dump everything into the crockpot, and let dinner practically make itself. The dishes? Unfortunately, those are still on you.
This is one of those meals that works just as well during busy school nights as it does during planting or harvest season when everyone is coming and going at different times.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
- Easy family-friendly dinner
- Great for busy weeknights
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Customizable with your favorite taco toppings and easy to adjust the spice level- perfect for picky eaters!
- Hearty enough to feed hungry teens and farmers (they're a hungry bunch!) The combination of pasta, beans, and ground beef makes this an affordable dinner that still feels hearty and filling.
- Leftovers reheat well for lunches the next day
If your family loves taco night as much as ours does, don't miss my Taco Bar Checklist for parties, graduation parties and feeding a crowd.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
- 🛒 Ingredients
- Shortcut Tip
- 🥣 How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
- Favorite Taco Pasta Toppings
- Tips for the Best Crockpot Taco Pasta
- Variations and Substitutions
- 🍽 What to Serve with Taco Pasta
- Storage and Reheating
- Make Ahead Tips
- FAQ
- More Taco Night Favorites
- Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
🛒 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need from the pantry and fridge.
- Lean Ground Beef - I usually use lean ground beef so there’s less grease to drain off after browning. If you have a different variety, just drain any excess. Ground pork and ground turkey also work well in this recipe.
- Salsa - Use your favorite jarred salsa or use the same amount of my restaurant style salsa. Mild works great for kids, but medium or hot adds more kick. Tip: If you have extra salsa, it freezes well in silicone cubes. I usually go for one-cup servings.
- Black Beans and Corn - These help stretch the meal while adding texture and flavor and it's as easy as opening a can or a bag. Frozen corn and fresh corn can also be used, as well as pinto beans or kidney beans in place of black beans.
- Taco Seasoning - Store bought taco seasoning keeps things easy, but homemade taco seasoning works too (and will save you a little money 😉
- Pasta - Any short pasta works well in this recipe. Use whatever you already have in the pantry. Rotini, shells, elbows, or penne are all great options!
- Cheese - Cheddar cheese melts beautifully into the taco pasta mixture, but pepper jack or a Mexican blend with Monterrey Jack cheese also works.
See recipe card below for specific quantities and ingredient list.
Shortcut Tip
Use leftover taco meat in place of the ground beef & seasoning. My leftover taco meat recipes post has even more easy dinner ideas for you!
🥣 How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
- Step 1: Add Ingredients to the Slow Cooker. Add the cooked beef, beef broth, salsa, frozen corn, black beans, chopped red bell pepper, and taco seasoning to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours.
- Step 2: Add the Pasta. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta. Cook on high for 20–30 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
Avoid overcooking, as the pasta can soften quickly in some slow cookers.
- Step 3: Add Cheese and Serve. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese. Top with the remaining cheese and your favorite taco toppings before serving.
Helpful tip:
Favorite Taco Pasta Toppings
This is where everyone can customize their own bowl.
Try topping your taco pasta with:
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- sour cream
- sliced green onions
- diced tomatoes
- jalapeno slices
- crushed tortilla chips
- avocado
- fresh cilantro
- black olives
Tips for the Best Crockpot Taco Pasta
- This recipe works best with short pasta shapes.
- Keep an eye on the pasta during the final cook time since slow cookers can vary.
- Add extra broth if the mixture thickens too much before the pasta finishes cooking.
- Want some zing? Add green chiles or diced jalapeños.
- Shred your own cheese for smoother melting.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add Rotel for extra flavor and spice.
- Stir in cream cheese for an even creamier taco pasta.
If you love easy slow cooker taco dinners, try my Crockpot Taco Meat, too.
🍽 What to Serve with Taco Pasta
This cheesy taco pasta is hearty enough to stand on its own, but we also love serving it with:
- Grilled corn salad - it has avocado and lime making it perfect for this recipe.
- Chips and salsa
- Garlic bread
- Simple green salad
- Fresh fruit
If your family enjoys taco-inspired comfort food, my Walking Taco Casserole is another must-try weeknight favorite.
Serving this for game day? Pair it with my hot taco dip and tortilla chips.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
Make Ahead Tips
You can brown the ground beef ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze. I keep one pound in my freezer at all times, prepped and ready to go! You know, for taco emergencies.
FAQ
Yes! Any short pasta works well in this recipe.
Go for it! Add jalapeños, green chiles, hot salsa, or pepper jack cheese.
You can freeze leftovers, though the pasta texture may soften slightly after thawing and reheating. Translation: it will be good but slightly mushy.
You can brown the beef and prep the ingredients ahead of time to make dinner even easier later.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know what you think! Leave a ⭐ star rating and review below. It helps other readers and makes my day! 😉
More Taco Night Favorites
Looking for other taco night recipes? Try these:
Recipe
Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Brown and drain 1 pound lean ground beef.
- Add the cooked beef to the slow cooker along with the 4 cups beef broth, 16 ounces salsa, 10 ounces frozen corn, 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained, 1 red bell pepper and 1 packet taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in 8 ounces short pasta.
- Cook on high for 20–30 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Top with the remaining cheese and garnish with your favorite taco toppings before serving.
Farm Girl Tips
- Different slow cookers cook differently, so start checking the pasta around the 20 minute mark to avoid overcooking.
- Short pasta shapes like rotini, shells, elbow macaroni, or penne work best in this recipe.
- Use mild, medium, or hot salsa depending on your family’s preferred spice level.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Add diced jalapeños or green chiles for extra heat.
- Leftovers will thicken as they sit. Add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.
- This recipe reheats well for lunches the next day.
Kristin Jones says
Can this recipe be made on the stovetop? Would the amount of broth used need to be cut back and how long would you cook it for?
Deanne Frieders says
Hi Krisin, I'm sure it can though I haven't done it. I'd look at my stovetop chili mac recipe (or other pasta skillet meals) for guidance. If you try it, I'd love to know how it turns out! https://www.thisfarmgirlcooks.com/one-pot-chili-mac-and-cheese/