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These taco stuffed shells are easy comfort food! Pasta shells stuffed with taco seasoned meat and smothered in cheese sauce has been on my comfort food to-make list forever! I finally made it a week or so ago when my brother and his girlfriend came over for dinner one night. It was the kind of dish that I wanted to make for company to taste test, but not new company, you know what I mean?
Family is good for taste testing and honest food reviews, that’s for sure! I knew that they would tell me if it was a keeper or a chucker. It was hands down a winner, a keeper and a make again hit. This is such a rich, delicious, comfort food dish. If you like taco flavor, then this is the supper for you!
It’s very simple.
How to Make Taco StuffedShells
- Fry up ground beef or turkey according to the directions on the taco seasoning package. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the pasta shells according to the package directions.
- Fill the shells with the ground beef mixture. If wanted, you can add a dollop of sour cream mixed in as well.
- Prepare the homemade cheese sauce.
- Pour over the taco pasta shells.
- Top with cheese and bake in the oven.
Then you drizzle a decadent taco cheese sauce over those gorgeous little shells. Ohh baby, just look at that cheese sauce! Don’t be afraid of making a homemade cheese sauce, it’s so easy!
Then, because you can never have enough cheese, you top it with some shredded Tex Mex cheese.
Then it’s time to bake it in the oven until it looks this the creamy, dreamy pasta below.
Plate two or three of them (eh, four or five of them?) and serve with a nice crisp salad. And then add this to your rotation of meals, for sure. Now I know that quite a few of you were waiting for this recipe, so here it is at last! I do have SO many recipes that I’ve made that I have to write up, if only they could just write themselves some day haha!
Happy Cooking everyone! Let me know if you try this!
Love,
Karlynn
Taco Stuffed Shells
- Prep Time
- 25 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Course
- Main Course
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 665
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- One box of large Pasta Shells
- 1 pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
- 2 packages of taco seasoning
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups of 1% milk
- 4 1/2 cups grated Tex Mex cheddar cheese 1/2 cup for filling shells and one cup set aside for topping
Instructions
- Boil 24-28 pasta shells until cooked according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. (the pasta shells fall apart easily, I always cook extra to make sure I have whole shells to use)
- In a large frying pan, cook the ground meat and one and a half packages of taco seasoning according to the package directions. Set aside when cooked.
- To prepare the cheese sauce : In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add in the flour and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until it forms a soft ball.
- Stir in the milk slowly, but by bit, whisking constantly, Once the flour and milk has combined into a liquid without lumps, whisk in any remaining milk.
- Whisk constantly until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the sauce from heat, and stir in three cups of shredded cheese, stirring until melted.
- Add in one to two tablespoons of the taco seasoning into the cheese sauce, to taste and then set aside.
- Fill 24-28 pasta shells with a sprinkle of cheese, followed by the taco mixture.
- Place shells in a well greased baking pan.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the shells.
- Top with a cup of cheese.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browned.
- Remove and serve!
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Lori Coons Kwiatkowski says
Is that a chorus of angels singing that I hear ?
The Kitchen Magpie says
It might just be…. š
Mary P Hoffman says
I’d love some for lunch (today)! Thanks for the recipe!
The Kitchen Magpie says
These are a MAX comfort food!
Kelsie Kelly says
My whole family love love loves this recipe!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome!!! It’s one of my faves!
KelsieKelly says
Made this a few times now! My kids love it! First time we had it we found it a bit too rich, so we do half the amount of cheese sauce and it is perfect!
Kelsie Kelly says
My kids would love this!!!
The Kitchen Magpie says
They should! It’s SOOOO good!
Kim Tidd says
Can this be frozen? I want to make it for my sister-in-law when she goes on maternity leave so itās one less meal for her to make.
Kerry Lindsay says
Megz Zee
John will love this
The Kitchen Magpie says
Oh, you bet they are!
Crystal Englot says
Oh these look like can be trouble (as in addicting!)
Stacey Dempsey says
thanks
Lynn Geyer says
what’s not to love about shells and cheese and other ooey goodness???!! lol
Tammy Dalley says
wow these look delicious
Nicole Graham says
Yummy! I love pasta anything.
Renee Two in the Kitchen says
Hi Karlynn. Just started checking out your blog and since I love food and I LUV Disney, you are my new favorite person!! :) I feel the same way about always planning a new trip. We just got back from Disney World in June and I’m working on our Christmas trip to Disneyland for December and hopefully our first Disney cruise next summer! I love your site!! :)
thekitchenmagpie says
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" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/52393371/" ns="true">Renee Two in the Kitchen Nice to meet you!! Oh you will LOVE the Disney Cruises!!!! I’m excited for you!
Lynn Geyer says
thank you! cant wait to make!
Sabine Dumdei Vanderkley says
Ohhhh I know what we are having tomorrow night for supper!
Jennifer Print says
Yummmmm
Baby June says
Those look amazing! Love the pasta + taco hybrid, that sounds awesome! Great idea! š
The Kitchen Magpie says
I hope you love it!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Yup, super delicious!!