Mexican Spaghetti

5 from 1 vote

With perfectly seasoned taco meat, tender noodles, and melty cheese, this One-Pot Mexican Spaghetti is a flavor-packed recipe that comes together with minimal effort.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Tex Mex

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 teaspoon oil
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey or chicken
1 small white or yellow onion minced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
2 ½ cups water + more as needed
8 ounces spaghetti broken in half
1 cup cheddar cheese grated by hand
chopped cilantro, sour cream, avocado, tomato, green onion, jalapeño peppers, black olives, etc. for serving

Instructions

Begin this recipe by blending the diced tomatoes with green chiles in a small food processor fitted with an s-blade or a small blender. Set to the side.
Heat oil in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stock pan. Once heated, add the ground meat of choice, along with the minced onion. Saute the mixture, breaking the meat up into bite-sized pieces, until fully browned and cooked through. Drain off any grease if needed.
Return the pan to the heat, add in the taco seasoning, blended tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 2 ½ cups of water. Stir together and then bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the broken spaghetti noodles to the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Uncover the pan, and continue to simmer for 3-6 minutes, stirring often until the pasta is al dente. If you feel the liquid is evaporating too quickly, add up to an additional ¼ cup of water at a time, as needed. I find I typically need 3 cups of water.
Once the noodles are tender, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar. Cover again and let sit for 3-5 minutes to allow the pasta to finish absorbing excess liquid and the cheese to melt.
Serve garnished with cilantro, sliced avocado, or any desired toppings of choice.

Video

Notes

Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (Rotel tomatoes). Opt for mild to keep this dish family-friendly. Your favorite salsa would work as a substitute (I would still recommend blending the salsa, as you do the diced tomatoes).

Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer to a heat-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Taco Seasoning: In place of a prepared blend, use: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon oregano, and ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Nutrition