Taco Stuffed Shells

These cheesy Taco Stuffed Shells are loaded with spicy Tex-Mex flavor and baked until hot and bubbly for an easy family favorite.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican Inspired, Southern

Keyword best-taco-stuffed-shells, taco-stuffed-shells-recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Stand time 5

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings (4 shells)

Calories 563kcal

Cook the pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water per the package directions, slightly undercooking. Drain well, then spread in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper. (The shells can stick together as they cool.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until no pink remains in the beef. Drain excess grease from the pan.
To the ground beef, add the salsa, taco seasoning, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Stir to combine, then add the cream cheese.
Simmer on low stirring just until the cream cheese has completely melted. Remove from the heat, add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese. Stir until evenly distributed.
Use a tablespoon to divide the ground beef mixture between the shells, around 1 1/2-2 Tbsp each. Arrange side by side seam side up in the prepared dish.
Drizzle the taco sauce over the shells, then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
Baked uncovered for 35-45 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is lightly golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve topped with sour cream and salsa garnished with green onions, olives and diced tomatoes.
Cook's Note: Servings may vary depending on how many shells are used. Some shells will break while boiling. You may end up with 30-36 stuffed shells.

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.