These Mexican stuffed shells are loved by hundreds of families and are always a crowd favorite. Super easy to make, they’ll quickly be a repeat hit for your family just like they are for mine.
You will love these Mexican Stuffed Shells!
Do you ever want a mix of tacos and pasta for dinner?! These taco stuffed pasta shells are a delicious fusion of Mexican and Italian cuisines, in a delicious, comforting, cheesy pan of stuffed pasta shells, with the zesty flavor of tacos.
Mexican Stuffed Shells Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- ground beef – you can also use ground chicken, or ground turkey
- yellow onion – diced
- taco seasoning
- cream cheese – to make the filling nice and creamy
- jumbo pasta shells
- enchilada sauce – pick your favorite red, or green
- salsa
- shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make Taco Stuffed Shells
Mexican Stuffed Shells can be prepared and ready to eat in about 1 hour or less.
- First you will boil your jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions for al dente noodles, it should be around 10 minutes. Drain the water out when they’re done cooking.
- While the noodles are cooking, saute your diced onions and ground beef until cooked through. Drain out any excess grease. Then add in some taco seasoning and then half a block of cream cheese.
- Combine salsa and enchilada sauce and pour half of it into the bottom of a 9x13inch baking pan. Fill the pasta shells with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared ground beef mixture and place them into the baking pan.
- Pour remaining sauce over the top and cover the pan in foil and bake for about 30 minutes until the noodles are hot throughout. Remove the foil and top with the shredded cheeses.
- Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is all melted.
- Serve the shells immediately with your favorite taco toppings.
Stuffed Taco Pasta Shells Toppings
These taco stuffed shells taste so good with traditional taco style toppings, they’re delicious topped with:
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- olives
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro
- avocado
- sliced green onions
- crushed tortilla chips
- pico de gallo
- taco sauce
- black beans
- pinto beans
- tomato sauce
- black olives
- Mexican cheese
- hot sauce
What’s your favorite taco topping? What would you put on these stuffed shells?
Nate and I both love this meal so much. Every time we make them we just gobble them up and keep going back for more and more because they really are that delicious!
If you don’t trust me, just look at the comments, everyone loves these delicious Mexican stuffed shells!
How to store Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells
Although you may eat these up all in one day, if you end up with leftovers they are great for reheating throughout the week, just microwave up your individual portions when reheating for lunches. The stuffed shells should stay good in the fridge covered, for 5-6 days.
Can you freeze this Taco Stuffed Shells Recipe?
These shells also make a great freezer meal! Make a double batch and freeze one of the pans up so you have a delicious meal for later that is already ready to go!
If you freeze a pan of these shells, make sure to cover the pan tightly with foil. It’s best to use a disposable aluminum pan to freeze them so you don’t have to worry about any glass breaking in the freezer.
You will prepare the stuffed shells until just before baking them. When you are ready to enjoy this delicious meal, bake the shells directly from the freezer at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes with the aluminum foil on top, then remove it for an additional 15 minutes of baking (so 1 hour total) until the shells are hot throughout and the cheese is nice and bubbly.
You can keep the pan in the freezer for about 3 months for the best results.
These shells make such a tasty meal, especially when paired with some yummy side dishes!
Serving Stuffed Shells with Meat and Cheese
- mexican street corn dip
- refried beans on Kleinworth and Co
- mexican rice on House of Nash Eats
- avocado tomato salad on Taste and Tell
- a simple side salad
These mexican stuffed shells are the perfect easy dinner that every one will love! The meal is ready in less than an hour and is perfect for any day of the week!
Taco Pasta Shells FAQs
What is another name for stuffed shells?
Also commonly called jumbo shells, there are a variety of different types of stuffed shells. This one is a Mexican food version that is perfect for a taco Tuesday for the whole family!
What is the difference between manicotti and stuffed shells?
While they are both forms of hollow shells of pasta that can be filled, manicotti is more of a tube shape while stuffed shells are more the shape of an ocean shell stuffed with a meat mixture or another delicious twist of ingredients.
What are Mexican stuffed shells filled with?
This Mexican stuffed shells recipe uses a lean ground beef with a taco meat flavor all mixed with cheese and other delicious ingredients like onions in an amazing casserole dish that is perfect for busy weeknights or for taco night. This recipe is a family favorite that is easy to store in an airtight container for leftovers and a great way to fill up the family.
These shells are so fun and delicious to eat. I love having a taco styled Mexican meal inside of pasta shells instead of with the typical tortilla, or chips!
Looking for more Mexican inspired pasta dishes:
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Stuffed Taco Pasta Shells
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion (diced)
- 2 TBS taco seasoning
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz jumbo pasta shells*
- 10 oz enchilada sauce
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil
- Boil your pasta shells for about 10 minutes, or until cooked al dente according to package directions. Rinse shells when they’re done cooking.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
- Meanwhile cook up your ground beef and onions over medium high heat until cooked thoroughly. Drain excess grease from the pan.
- Add in the taco seasoning and stir to mix.
- Mix in the cream cheese and cook until the cheese is melted throughout. Set aside.
- Combine your enchilada sauce and salsa in a small bowl.
- Pour about half of your enchilada sauce salsa mixture into the bottom a 9×13 pan and spread around to cover the bottom
- Fill each jumbo shell with a heaping 1 TBS of meat mixture and place into the pan with the sauce.
- Repeat until all the shells or meat mixture is gone.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce salsa mixture over the top of the shells.
- Wrap pan in aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is hot throughout the shells.
- Remove foil and top with shredded cheeses.
- Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with your favorite taco toppings, or enjoy as is.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
These mexican stuffed shells were first posted on January 13, 2014. Photos updated on February 10, 2020.
GET SET TO MAKE THIS AMAZING MEXICAN PASTA DISH WITH THESE GREAT KITCHEN TOOLS and INGREDIENTS:
Victoria L says
I’ve been making this recipe since late 2015 and it never fails. It’s easy, leftovers reheat well, and is always a crowd pleaser!
JD says
Delicious
Tammy says
Very good, easy to put together. It will be on our list of go to’s
Jenna says
We’ve made this several times and it’s so good, but wondering if it can this be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake?
Aimee says
I think it could be refrigerated, covered with foil, for a couple days before baking. I bet you could also freeze it for a couple months and just add a few minutes to the baking time.
Tammy says
This was very good. I will definitely make it again.
April Matczynski says
This is one of my family’s “favorites”…I make 2 pans as they are gobbled up!!!
Love the recipe and thank you for sharing!!!
Patti says
Delicious. I used Colorado Sauce cur cut with stock vs Enchilada Sauce as less bitter.
Ellen says
I am going to have to try Colorado Sauce soon. Sounds yummy.
Laurann says
Awesome Recipe!!! Such a huge hit!! I added extra Cheese on top on last step… I also added a little water (1/4 Cup) when I added the Taco Seasoning to make it blend easier. Also it needs to sit for at least 15 mins. after cooking. It’s like a Mexican Lasagna…. Add extra toppings when you fix your plate if you wish… I added a little Sour Cream! I will be making this Recipe for years to come!! It was TRULY AWESOME and it turned out perfectly!!
Ellen says
We love that this is a recipe you will be using a lot, that’s a great review. Thanks for letting us know.
Mixx says
I made these today for my family! Everyone loves them!! To make the process faster I used my insta pot to cook the pasta shells!! Quick and much much less breakage if the shells!!
Aimee says
Yay! That’s a fantastic idea
Kristi Koenig says
Delicious recipe! Will definitely be making again. Thanks
Valerie says
How many servings and calories per serving of these Mexican stuffed shells?
Aimee says
If you give each serving ab out 3 shells, there should be about 8 servings for the pan, and 419 calories per serving. You can make that lower with neufchatel cream cheese, leaner ground beef, etc.
Alexis Goins says
This recipe is amazing! I tripled the recipe and added ketchup to my ground beef mixture, along with my own homemade taco seasoning (cumin, mild chili powder, coriander, salt, pepper, sugar and oregano). We topped ours with black olives, shredded lettuce and homemade pico de gallo.
Ellen says
Your choice of toppings sound wonderful. I am so glad you liked our recipe. Thanks for letting us know.