When you need a dinner that’s fast, filling, and guaranteed to please everyone at the table, this One-Pan Taco Mac delivers every time. Tender macaroni, savory taco-seasoned ground beef, sweet bell peppers, and juicy tomatoes come together in one skillet before being smothered in a rich, ultra-cheesy sauce. It’s everything you love about tacos and creamy mac and cheese combined into one comforting, flavor-packed meal.
The best part of this recipe is that everything cooks together in a single pan, allowing the pasta to soak up every bit of the bold taco seasoning and savory beef broth. As the cheese melts into the skillet, it creates a creamy, stretchy sauce that coats every piece of pasta, making each bite rich, hearty, and completely irresistible.
Fresh tomatoes and colorful bell peppers add just the right amount of sweetness and texture to balance the richness of the cheese, while warm spices like cumin, chili powder, and paprika give the dish its unmistakable Tex-Mex flavor. It’s the perfect combination of comfort food and taco night all wrapped into one easy meal.
Whether you’re feeding a hungry family, meal prepping for the week, or simply looking for a quick one-pan dinner with minimal cleanup, this One-Pan Taco Mac is guaranteed to become a regular in your rotation. Loaded with cheesy goodness and bold flavor, it’s the kind of meal everyone comes back for seconds.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2½ cups beef broth
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (or cavatappi/curly pasta), uncooked
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeños
- Diced avocado
- Green onions
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Fresh pico de gallo
- Extra shredded cheese
