Easy Cheesy Taco Stuffed Shells
These Mexican stuffed shells combine tender pasta with creamy, cheesy beef filling, flavorful sauce, and plenty of melted cheese on top.
Cheesy taco stuffed shells is one of those meals that looks impressive, but is actually very easy to make for a family-friendly weeknight meal.
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Mexican cuisine is one of those crowd-pleasing options with plenty of variety, making it a no-brainer when it comes to weeknight dinners.
But if you ever get tired of the standard tacos and burritos, these cheesy taco stuffed shells are an easy, family-friendly meal you can make to break up the monotony!
They’re a spin-off of classic Italian stuffed shells, but with a different flavor profile. Sort of like a taco in pasta form!
Now I know that this is not “authentic Mexican” food. But that’s okay, because they are so, so good.
Instead of being stuffed with Italian sausage and covered with an Italian red sauce and mozzarella, these tender shells are stuffed with a creamy, flavorful taco-style beef filling.
They’re placed on top of a layer of taco sauce (or salsa), then topped with taco sauce and shredded cheese.
Baked to perfection, they become a delightful dish of melty, cheesy goodness with just the right amount of spice.
And while they look pretty impressive, they are actually quite simple! You just assemble and throw in the oven.
More Mexican-Inspired Dishes You’ll Love:
- Instant Pot Albondigas (Mexican Meatball) Soup
- Easy Skillet Enchilada Tortellini Casserole
- Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Instant Pot Beef Enchilada Pasta
- Bisquick Taco Casserole
- Knorr Taco Rice Bake
- Mexican Ground Beef and Potatoes
Can You Freeze Taco Stuffed Shells?
This makes one 9×13 inch pan or two 8×8 inch pans. I sometimes make one pan for now and freeze another pan for later (just make sure you’re using a freezer-safe pan).
If you are freezing them, prepare them according to the directions until the point of topping with cheese.
Instead of putting the cheese on now, put the cheese in a zip-top bag and add it to the freezer so you’ll have it handy later.
Wrap the pan well with plastic wrap and foil, to prevent ice crystals from forming. When you’re ready to bake them, thaw completely and remove the plastic wrap, then proceed with the remainder of the instructions.
How to Make Mexican Stuffed Shells
It’s easy to make this flavorful dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Jumbo pasta shells
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Taco seasoning
- Water
- Ricotta cheese
- Shredded cheese (such as Cheddar or Colby Jack)
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
- Taco sauce (or salsa or enchilada sauce)
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Sliced green onions. for serving (optional)
How to Make It:
Find the full printable recipe available below
Cook the beef. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onions.
Drain off the grease, then add in the garlic, cooking just until fragrant. Add in the taco seasoning and water, cooking for 2-3 minutes.
Add cheese. Remove the beef from heat and add in the ricotta cheese and some of the shredded cheese. If you’re using cilantro, you can add it now as well.
Stir to combine.
Prepare the shells. Pour some of the taco sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Then stuff the cooked shells with the beef mixture, arranging the shells over the layer of sauce.
Then add the rest of the taco sauce and shredded cheese over the top of the shells.
Bake and garnish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then garnish and serve!
Notes and Adaptations:
- I always recommend shredding your own cheese, if possible. It melts so much better! But if you’re short on time, you can use a bag of shredded cheese.
- Feel free to garnish as desired with sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, or whatever sounds good to you!
- If you don’t want to use taco sauce, you can opt for enchilada sauce or salsa instead.
- Adjust the spice level by choosing a different variety of taco sauce (mild, medium, hot). You can also use Pepper Jack cheese for a little more heat.
Recommended Equipment:
Cheesy Taco Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (or 7.5 ounces whipped chive cream cheese)
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 2 cups taco sauce (divided)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional, for serving)
- Sliced green onions (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Cook the pasta shells according to package directions. Set shells aside to cool and drain on a paper towel.
- Brown the ground beef with onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it as it cooks. When cooked through, drain any excess grease if necessary, then return the beef and onions to the skillet.
- Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add taco seasoning and water to the beef, simmering for about 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken a bit.
- Remove skillet from heat and add ricotta cheese (or cream cheese), 1 cup of shredded cheese, and cilantro (if using). Stir to combine.
- Spread 1 cup of taco sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch dish.
- Stuff each pasta shell with meat mixture. Place shells in the pan, with the open side up.
- Drizzle remaining taco sauce evenly over the shells, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top of the shells.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove foil and return shells to the oven, uncovered, for about 5-10 minutes more.
- When ready to serve, garnish with sour cream and green onions, if desired.
Notes
- I always recommend shredding your own cheese, if possible. It melts so much better! But if you're short on time, you can use a bag of shredded cheese.
- Feel free to garnish as desired with sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, or whatever sounds good to you!
- If you don't want to use taco sauce, you can opt for enchilada sauce or salsa instead.
- Adjust the spice level by choosing a different variety of taco sauce (mild, medium, hot). You can also use Pepper Jack cheese for a little more heat.
Equipment
Nutrition
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