Taco Stuffed Shells

These ground beef Taco Stuffed Shells are the perfect fusion of Italian comfort food and classic Mexican flavors. They’re an easy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that brings a fun twist to taco night, perfect for when you can’t decide between pasta and tacos. Why choose, when you can have both!

What You’ll Love About this Taco Shells Recipe

• Taco Flavors – These savory stuffed taco shells feature tender jumbo pasta shells filled with seasoned ground beef, zesty taco spices, and melty cheese.
• Common Ingredients – This recipe features ingredients that are easy to find.
• Make-Ahead Meal Prep– They can be fully assembled in advance and chilled until you’re ready to bake and eat!
• They’re Customizable – Set up a toppings bar and let everyone finish them off with their favorite taco toppings.

Ingredients to Make Easy Taco Stuffed Shells Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need to make Stuffed Taco Shells: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Pasta – One box of jumbo pasta shells.
• Protein – Lean ground beef forms the base of the taco filling.
• Cheese – Shredded Mexican blend cheese OR shredded colby jack cheese for a cheesy flavor. Because who can eat tacos or pasta without cheese?
• Salsa – Thick and chunky salsa for the hamburger filling. You can use mild, medium or hot.
• Taco Sauce – Taco sauce is the “marinara” sauce for the top. You can use mild, medium or hot.
• Onion – Yellow onion or sweet onion adds dimension to the taco meat.
• Oil – Olive oil for cooking the ground beef.
• Seasonings – Taco seasoning, dark chili powder, garlic powder or granulated garlic, seasoned salt and lemon pepper.
• Cream Cheese – One container chive and onion cream cheese binds and stabilizes the taco filling.
• Garnishes – Sliced green onions, black olives and cherry tomatoes for garnishing along with sour cream for serving.

How to Make the BEST Stuffed Taco Shells Recipe

• Boil the Pasta – Cook the pasta shells in salted boiling water, slightly undercooking them. Drain well, then spread in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper. (The shells can stick together as they cool, so don’t leave them stacked in a colander.)
• Heat Oven and Prepare the Baking Dish – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cook Hamburger and Onion – Cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until no pink remains in the beef. Drain excess grease from the pan.
• Add Salsa and Seasonings – Add the salsa, taco seasoning, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Stir in the cream cheese. Simmer just until the cream cheese has completely melted.
• Add Shredded Cheese – Remove from the heat, add shredded cheese, stir well.
• Divide the Taco Meat Mixture – Divide the taco beef between the shells, around 1 1/2-2 tablespoons in each.
• Transfer to Prepared Dish – Arrange side by side seam side up in the prepared dish. Drizzle the taco sauce over the shells, then top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
• Oven – Baked per the recipe until bubbly and the cheese is lightly golden brown.
• Serve – Serve topped with sour cream and salsa garnished with green onions, olives and cherry tomatoes.

Tips for Making Taco Stuffed Shells

• Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: Large skillet, pasta cooker, sharp knife and chopping board, cheese grater, measuring spoons and 13×9-inch baking dish.
• Make-Ahead Tip: You can fully assemble these shells one day in advance, then cover them with plastic wrap and pop them into the refrigerator. Allow them 15-20 minutes on the counter, then bake per the recipe adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
• When to Serve Taco Stuffed Shells: We love these shells any night of the week for dinner with a salad, corn on the cob and corn muffins. They’re also a fun choice for cinco de Mayo, entertaining friends, Taco Tuesday, game day and potluck parties.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Protein: You can make these shells with ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken.
• Cheese: You can use cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese or monterey jack cheese for a mild cheese flavor.
• Vegetables: You could add one cup of drained and rinsed black beans or corn kernels to the ground beef mixture. You could also add either diced bell peppers or poblano peppers to the onion and ground beef.
• Homemade Taco Seasoning: Use my recipe to make your own Taco Seasoning Mix.
• Salsa: A thick salsa works best for the filling. In a pinch, you could adapt using Rotel tomatoes and a few tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken the taco filling.
• Taco Sauce: You could use a red enchilada sauce in place of taco sauce for the topping.
• Toppings: You can top these shells with any of your favorite taco fixings. Add a dollop of guacamole, salsa verde, queso blanco or pickled jalapenos.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store leftover Taco Stuffed Shells covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave, an air fryer or in a preheated 350°F oven just until heated through.
• Freezer: You can freeze these shells prior to baking for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge and then arrange in a baking dish, drizzle with taco sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheese just before baking per the recipe.
• Freezing After Baking: You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Mexican Recipes to Make

• Mexican Cornbread Casserole makes a fun and festive weekday dinner.
• Bake these Taco Cups in a cupcake pan.
• This Frito Corn Salad can be enjoyed as a side dish or a dip.
• Get the party started with this Jalapeno Popper Dip.
• Beef Enchilada Casserole is like a Mexican lasagna.
• Sweet and savory Green Chile Corn Casserole.
• Skip the chips and make these Tachos for game day snacking.
• Instant Pot Pork Carnitas from Damn Delicious.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13×9-inch Dish
• Cheese Grater
• Pasta Cooker
• Chopping Board and Knives