Creamy Taco Mac Skillet is cheesy, full of flavor, and weeknight friendly! Packed with seasoned taco meat, tomatoes, cheese, and pasta- everyone will request this easy skillet dinner!
We are sprinting towards the end of the school, and I am all about the quick and easy meals. For me, the beginning and end of school are the hardest when it come to meal planning. The start of the school year means new routines and change, and the end of the school year is survival to get the finish line. In Wisconsin, we have had a lot of weather cancellations and our last day was June 7th, but it was moved to June 10th and everyone is getting excited for summer. I am two weeks away from officially having my teaching license in the State of Wisconsin. Since I have a bachelor's degree the actually certification process has meant a lot of unpaid time in various classrooms for teaching experience and practice. While it has been helpful, fun, and educational, I am very excited to finally be paid for my work, make an employment decision, and be done with school (for now).
Since the end of school is about survival, 30-minute meals like my Creamy Taco Mac Skillet are a regular on my meal plan. Easy, fast, and hearty- perfect to fill-up my kiddos bellies after a long school day. We are also in the throws of soccer after school, and I love having a back-pocket recipe like this one because I can get dinner on the table very quickly so we can keep our evening moving.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the best type of pasta to use?
I like to use fusilli for this skillet, but capatavi or penne is a great alternative. I would not suggest a thin pasta- a hearty pasta works best.
Can I leave out the tomatoes?
Yes, but the flavor will be different. If you leave out the tomatoes, I suggest reserving about ⅔ cup of the pasta water to add to the skillet or it will not be very saucy.
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Absolutely! I suggest pepper jack or monterey jack.
How are the leftovers?
I love to have this for lunch! It is just as cheesy and creamy the following day!
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Creamy Taco Mac Skillet is a must for you weekday meal plan! I find that meal planning really works for our family. I know the thought of it can feel a little overwhelming at first, but once it becomes habit it is a nice crutch, at least for me, during the week.
One thing that I found is not to over-plan. I have made the mistake more times than I can count, and have scrambled to use the food I purchased. What works for my family is planning 3 weekday meals and 1 weekend meal. I typically do not shop for the weekend meal till later in the week. For us, this provides flexibility which, to me, if the key to making meal planning work. I also try to plan meals to have leftovers so we can use them for lunches, or for another weeknight meal. I would plan my Creamy Taco Mac Skillet on a Monday or Tuesday because I find the beginning of the week to generally be more hectic, and I also have leftovers for lunch!
Check out these delicious skillet meals!
Skillet Rice and Beans with Kielbasa
One-Pot BLT Tortellini Skillet
Ham and Cheese Gnocchi Skillet
Creamy Taco Mac Skillet
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry shaped pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1.25 oz packet taco seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.
- In a large rimmed skillet cook the ground beef and chopped onion until no longer pink.
- Add the tomatoes, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in ½ cup cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Add the pasta to the meat and gently stir. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and top with remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and black olives.
Oh this is some amazing comfort food. It reminds me of my childhood and brings back good memories
The more cheese the better, right? I can see why everyone can enjoy this skillet - it is an ultimate filler for a weeknight meal - just what I prefer!
I am drooling just looking at this dish!!! I love a good skillet meal, especially during the week when I really don't feel like having a million dishes piled up from making dinner 😀 Going to add this to our meal plan to try!
All that cheese! I am drooling over this Taco Mac. Looks amazingly delicious!
I love these one pot dishes, so easy to make no headache, not to mention the lovely skillet - it is my right hand in the kitchen. This dish looks scrumptious.
Two of the best worlds in one dish. Taco and mac and cheese, this looks so interestingly delicious! I'm drooling all over that skillet!
What a big pot of some hearty and cheesy goodness! This is comfort food at its finest.
Is it 1 pound of ground beef? It doesn't appear in the list of ingredients.
Thanks.
yes- 1 lb ground beef! I am sorry I updated the recipe card and must have deleted it in error! Thank you for catching it!