Mexican Spaghetti is an easy and delicious one-pot, stovetop casserole! Just cook some ground beef then toss in uncooked spaghetti noodles, taco seasoning mix, Rotel tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then top with cheese!
Hey, if you need another easy beefy noodle dinner idea, my Sour Cream Noodle Bake is a favorite at my house—my grandkids can’t get enough of it, and honestly, neither can I!
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Why You'll Love Mexican Spaghetti
Overall, Mexican Spaghetti is a delicious, easy-to-make, and versatile casserole dish that ticks all the boxes for a cozy dinner!
- Taco Inspired: Because of the taco seasoning and the toppings, its flavors are like tacos! In fact, many may refer to this as Taco Spaghetti!
- Easy One-Pot Meal: A convenient one-pot wonder, with minimal prep and cleanup, this dinner is on the table in just 30 minutes.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the level of spiciness, add extra vegetables, or use a difference protein.
- Hearty and Filling: With spaghetti, taco meat, and a rich and flavorful sauce, Mexican Spaghetti is a hearty meal that'll surely satisfy even the heartiest appetites!
- Family-Friendly: Most everybody (kids and grownups, too) love the flavors of Mexican food. And most everyone enjoys eating spaghetti. So it's a perfect combination the whole family will gobble up!
What does it taste like? Mexican Spaghetti is a one-pot casserole that cooks on your stovetop. The flavor and texture combination of tender pasta and ground beef that's been cooked together with taco seasonings and spicy Rotel tomatoes then finished off with melty cheddar cheese creates a deliciously irresistable feast!
Favorite Mexican Recipes to Try
We love Mexican style and Tex-Mex food around here! If you do too, check out a few more of our favorites:
Ingredients with Notes
Let's talk about the ingredients you'll need for this Mexican Spaghetti:
- Ground beef: You'll need one pound of ground beef; I like using "lean" ground beef because there's less fat to deal with, but you can use whatever fat content you prefer. Just be sure to drain off the excess fat after the meat cooks because it really doesn't add anything special to the recipe.
- Frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture: A quick and convenient way to add chopped vegetables to anything you're cooking.
- Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies: Adds a spicy kick, chunky tomato texture, and a burst of tomato flavor. Pick your spice level: original, mild, fire-roasted, hot, etc.
- Tomato sauce and tomato paste: Creates a rich and hearty sauce base.
- Taco seasoning mix: Infuses the dish with traditional Mexican flavors such as cumin, chili powder, and garlic.
- Sugar: Just a pinch balances the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances the overall flavor.
- Parsley flakes: Adds subtle herbal flavor, and I actually the visual appeal it adds.
- Uncooked spaghetti: Toss it in raw to soak up the flavors of the sauce while cooking.
- Beef broth: Not only "cooks" the spaghetti but adds wonderful flavor to the noodles and the taco meat sauce.
- Toppings: Chopped Roma tomatoes, freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro adds the finishing touches to the Mexican Spaghetti.
If you love Rotel tomatoes in your pasta, give my Rotel Chicken Spaghetti a try. It's "the most" popular recipe on my blog and for good reason! People love it!
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions for some of the more commonly used ingredients. If you like the table format I've used, could you let me know? I'd love some feedback on whether this is helpful to you:
| Ingredient | Substitute Options |
|---|---|
| Ground beef | ground chicken, rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, a combo of ground beef and ground sausage, or chorizo |
| Rotel tomatoes | can of diced tomatoes plus a small can of diced chilis, zesty chili style tomatoes, chunky salsa, or pico de gallo |
| Beef broth | chicken broth, bone broth, or check out more beef broth substitutions on my blog |
| Sharp cheddar cheese | Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or mild cheddar |
| Tomato sauce | tomato juice, marinara sauce, or enchilada sauce (will add a strong flavor) |
| Tomato paste | ketchup (ratio 1:1), tomato puree (ratio 1:2-3), or see my extensive list of tomato paste substitutes |
| Spaghetti noodles | elbow macaroni, linguine, spirals, or bowtie (cooking times will vary) |
How to Make Mexican Spaghetti
Because a picture is worth a thousand words, I'd like to show you the steps involved for making this recipe. If you actually make this dish, be sure to follow the recipe card at the bottom of the post 🙂
What to Serve With It
Mexican Spaghetti can be served all by itself, but you can add a side or two to stretch the meal further. You might see me place a scoop of it between two slices of toasted garlic bread (yeah, I went there!). Here are some more side dish suggestions:
- Simple green salad
- Steamed green beans
- Mexican Cornbread
- Tortilla chips
- Honey roasted carrots and parsnips
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to cook the ground beef until it's browned and cooked through (and drain off the fat) before adding the remaining ingredients.
- A spaghetti server comes in handy for both cooking and serving this meal!
- Use freshly grated cheese whenever you can; the flavor and texture is much better than the pre-shredded cheese.
- Adjust the level of spiciness to your taste by using mild, medium, or hot Rotel tomatoes and adjusting the amount of taco seasoning accordingly.
- Stir the spaghetti occasionally while it cooks to prevent it from sticking together.
- Use high-quality taco seasoning for the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the pasta; it should be al dente.
Experiment with Toppings
Feeling adventurous? As a final step, top Mexican Spaghetti with cooked and crumbled bacon and sliced jalapeno peppers. You could also add a squeeze of lime juice for an extra burst of yum.
Slow Cooker Instructions
To make Mexican Spaghetti in a slow cooker, brown the ground beef and vegetable mixture in a skillet, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the spaghetti) and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir in the uncooked spaghetti during the last 30 minutes of cooking, or cook it separately and add it to the slow cooker before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Mexican Spaghetti can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Absolutely!
No problem! For a milder dish, you can use mild Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (or regular diced tomatoes) or reduce the amount of taco seasoning mix used. However, if you prefer a spicier dish, you can use hot Rotel tomatoes or simply add additional chili powder or diced jalapeños to the sauce.
More Mexican Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
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Recipe
Mexican Spaghetti
Equipment
- heavy 5-qt non-stick pot or Dutch oven DO NOT use a skillet, the liquid will be too shallow
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 c frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture
- 10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies do not drain
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 oz taco seasoning mix 1 packet is usually 1 oz
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 8 oz uncooked spaghetti regular spaghetti, not thin
- 3 c beef broth
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese use block cheese and shred yourself
- 2 chopped Roma tomatoes chopped 1” chunks (seeds removed)
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
- Optional sides: sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa, jalapeno slices
Instructions
- In a heavy 5-qt non-stick pot or Dutch oven (see notes), add the ground beef. Over medium-high heat, cook the beef until it’s no longer pink, breaking the beef up as it cooks. Tip: When the meat is almost done, use a potato masher to break up the meat into small fine pieces. Drain off the fat.1 lb lean ground beef
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Lower heat to medium.1 c frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture
- Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, taco seasoning mix, sugar, and parsley flakes. Stir well.10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, 8 oz tomato sauce, 3 oz tomato paste, 1 oz taco seasoning mix, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- Break spaghetti noodles in half and place them on top of the meat mixture in the pan. Pour in the broth. Do not stir but make sure all the spaghetti pieces are covered with liquid (if needed, gently press down on the spaghetti noodles to get them covered). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.8 oz uncooked spaghetti, 3 c beef broth
- Put the lid on the pot and lower the heat to medium or medium-low. Aim for a gentle boil and adjust temperature as needed. Cook covered for a total of 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. If boiling too hard, lower the heat a little – you want a simmer, not a rolling boil. When the spaghetti is done, remove the pot from the heat and give it a good stir. Taste test and add more seasoning, if needed.
- Top with cheese and cover for 2 minutes so the cheese will melt. Sprinkle the tomato and cilantro on top of the melted cheese.1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 2 chopped Roma tomatoes, 2-3 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
- Serve with your favorite taco toppings on the side (such as sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa, jalapeno slices, etc.).
Notes
-
- DO NOT use a skillet, the liquid will be too shallow to cook the spaghetti noodles. Be sure to use a 5-quart, deep pot or Dutch oven.
-
- Be sure to cook the ground beef until it's browned and cooked through (and drain off the fat) before adding the remaining ingredients.
-
- A spaghetti server (spoon) comes in handy for both cooking and serving this meal!
-
- Use freshly grated cheese whenever you can; the flavor and texture is much better than the pre-shredded cheese.
-
- Adjust the level of spiciness to your taste by using mild, medium, or hot Rotel tomatoes and adjusting the amount of taco seasoning accordingly.
-
- Stir the spaghetti occasionally while it cooks to prevent it from sticking together.
-
- Use high-quality taco seasoning for the best flavor.
-
- Don't overcook the pasta; it should be al dente.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
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