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:
Connect with Like Mother, Like Daughter
Be sure to follow us on social media, so you never miss a single post!
Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Email
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:
Corrine says
Just made it using veggie ground instead of beef, delicious!!
Aimee Berrett says
So glad you liked it and made it work for you Corrine!
carmen Ana Cruz says
I Used garden cream cheese and ground sausage,yummy
Aimee Berrett says
Glad you liked it Carmen. I’ll have to try that next time!
Whitney says
Thank you! I def. will, but it may be be a little while!
Whitney says
We’ve made this a couple times and LOVE it! I’m looking to make it & freeze it for future use, but am new to freezer cooking. Would you freeze this meal before or after baking?
Aimee Berrett says
Thanks Whitney! So glad you like it! I haven’t frozen this dish yet, but when I freeze other similar pasta dishes it usually is when I have leftovers so I usually bake it like normal then freeze it. But if you are just wanting to make a bunch for later I think it would work no problem to freeze it before baking. I would then let it thaw overnight before baking in the fridge and bake the same way. (Though if its still cold it may take a little longer.) Let me know how it goes for you if you try it!
Whitney says
Hi Aimee! Ended up pulling these out of the freezer sooner than anticipated – my husband requested them specifically! I made them without baking first and kept the cheese in a freezer bag ontop the pan. I defrosted overnight, then baked according to the original instructions & they turned out perfectly!
Aimee Berrett says
So glad to hear! Thanks so much for letting me know! And love hearing how much you and your husband like them, yay!
Brittany says
So beyond excited to try this! Just came out the oven and it looks amazing. Thanks for the recipe! I forgot cream cheese so I added a little milk and velveeta block cheese instead. Fast, easy and relatively cheap to make for a college student. 🙂
Aimee Berrett says
Adding velvet instead is a great idea, I bet it was still delicious!
Angelina says
I have some ground sausage with bacon. Do you think that would be ok in place of ground beef?
Aimee Berrett says
It would add a little bit of a different flavor, but I bet it would taste really good!
Kassy says
I just made these with a slightly healthier twist and they were still delicious! 🙂 I’m glad I found this recipe!
Stephanie says
Any suggestions for a side dish?
Aimee Berrett says
I’d suggest some vegetables like corn, or maybe black or refried beans. Also I think you’d like our southwest chicken rolls which can be a side dish and would be tasty along side these shells!
Cyndee Pacheco says
Or a salad would work well
Carla says
I made this tonight. It was amazing. I did make some changes. I used about 2 pounds of meat, 8oz cream cheese, and a 28oz can of enchilada sauce. I didn’t add the mozzarella, instead I used the cheddar cheese and a Mexican blend cheese. When I served the dish I topped it with lettuce and tomato. Even my 7 and 4 year old enjoyed it. I will defiantly make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Aimee Berrett says
I’m so glad you guys liked it Carla! I love the idea of adding lettuce and tomato on top. Will definitely try that next time!
Daniel says
Rose you could use the white Velveeta cheese. It would still leave it creamy and the white Velveeta isn’t as salty tasting as the yellow when cooked with enchilada sauce.
joanie says
Could be used with manicotti shells too!
Aimee Berrett says
Great idea Joanie!
DeLynn Burdon says
How many does this feed?
Aimee Berrett says
It should feed 8.
Rose powell says
I don’t like cream cheese. What would be a good substitution?
Aimee Berrett says
Sorry I just saw this comment Rose, I’m not sure what to substitute cream cheese, you could leave it out the filling just won’t be creamy.
Kristi says
My husband is not a big fan of cream cheese either and I’m thinking about trying Greek yogurt instead. It’s not as firm as cream cheese, but maybe a doable substitute?
Aimee Berrett says
I’d actually probably just leave the cream cheese out instead, but let me know if you try it with the greek yogurt!
Letty Gonzales says
Ok thank you…….can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Letty Gonzales says
Can it be made with the med shells? They don’t sell the jumbo shells in our grocery store…….
Aimee Berrett says
You won’t be able to stuff as much inside of the medium shells, but it should definitely still work – you just might have a little extra filling.
Nelda Walsh says
Looks yummy. Love these one dish dinners!
Maria says
do you use just the seasoning from the taco mix or do you add water to it also? Like youre making tacos.
Aimee Berrett says
Just the seasoning.
Abby says
This recipe is wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing.
Crafty says
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!!! I altered it by using the whole box of shells (because I’m lazy and don’t want to count out shells, haha) and adding another pound and a half of ground beef. I even shoved the broken pieces of pasta shells in between the stuff ones so nothing is wasted.
Aimee Berrett says
So glad you liked it and made it your own! That’s my favorite part of sharing recipes 🙂
Ashley says
Could this be made ahead of time and frozen?
Aimee Berrett says
Yeah you could, I think I would keep the noodles al dente so that they don’t get overcooked and mushy when you reheat it.
Lee Saah says
Do you know how many calories per serving or how many grams of fat?
Aimee Berrett says
I don’t know if this is exact, but I have this recipe on my recipe magic and here’s the nutritional info, if you click the nutrition tab. http://myrecipemagic.com/recipe/recipedetail/amazing-mexican-stuffed-shells
Allison Murcray says
This meal is absolutely delicious!
Aimee Berrett says
So glad you liked it!
Amber Fronczak says
What kind of salsa
Aimee Berrett says
Any salsa that you like should work. I used pace medium salsa.
Debbie young says
These were delicious!!! My daughter loves pasta and Mexican food. So easy and fast. Thank you!!!!
Kathleen @ Fearlessly Creative Mammas says
Oh wow! I may have just died and gone to Heaven. These look so fantastic! I want to make them now!