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 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 large dutch oven or stock pan. Once heated, add in 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 and simmer uncovered for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the noodles are 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. Let sit for a few minutes to allow it to slightly cool 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).

Pasta: Feel free to use elbow or rotini noodles in place of the spaghetti noodles, just keep in mind the cook time will need to be adjusted slightly.

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