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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Food ·

Easy Taco Stuffed Shells


Is it pasta?

Is it a taco?

It’s BOTH!

My Easy Taco Stuffed Shells is the perfect weeknight supper.  I guarantee you a happy family after this meal!

This recipe serves 4 to 6.

Shopping List
1 box of large shells, cooked to al dente and then reserved
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 pound of ground beef
2 tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper
1 cup of taco sauce (we used mild)
1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
1½ cups of grated cheddar cheese
about 8 green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
a big handful of cilantro, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1½ cups chunky salsa (we used mild)

Before we get started, I like to use both taco sauce and salsa because I keep both on hand, but if you don’t, then you can substitute one for the other.  Taco sauce is very thin and the salsa, chunky.  I like the two textures, but you use what you have.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Grease (I used Pam) a 9×12 baking dish.  Set aside.

Make sure you place your shells in boiling water and allow them to cook to al dente (about 5 minutes).  Remove from the water and reserve until they’ve cooled enough to handle.  I place mine on a baking sheet.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown up your ground beef in a drizzle of EVOO.  Once it’s browned and crumbly, add in your chili powder plus a pinch of both salt and pepper.  Next, stir in your taco sauce, sour cream, grated cheese, most of your chopped green onions and cilantro.  Stir this mixture together and then remove it from the heat.

Take each of your large shells and fill it with about a tablespoon or so of taco meat and then place it in your prepared baking dish.  Repeat.

When all of your shells are stuffed, pour your chunky salsa down over the top and then pop it in the oven to brown up about 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven, add a little garnish of chopped onions and cilantro, serve and enjoy!  We like to serve ours with guacamole or sliced avocado.

Just so delish!

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Comments

  1. Laura says

    This looks amazing! Do you think it would freeze well? I’m always on the hunt for freezer ideas, but I’m not great at adapting things to make them freezer friendly!

  2. Andrea Anderson says

    Here’s my version of Taco Stuffed Shells. My kids love it and so does my husband. 🙂

    1 lb. ground beef or turkey
    1/4 cup taco seasoning, 1 envelope
    4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
    12 Jumbo Pasta shells, cooked according to package instructions
    1 cup salsa
    1 cup taco sauce
    1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    1 cup shredded Jack cheese

    Optional Toppings:
    1 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
    1 cup sour cream
    3 green onions, chopped
    sliced olives
    guacamole
    sliced avocados
    tomatoes

    In a skillet brown meat over medium heat. Add taco seasoning and mix to combine. Add cubed cream cheese, cover and simmer so cream cheese can melt. Remove from heat and cool.

    Fill cooked shells with about 1-2 T. of meat mixture. In a 9×13 glass baking dish pour salsa to coat the bottom of dish. Place filled taco shells on top then add taco sauce. Cover and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and sprinkle cheese on top, return to oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, and toppings of your choice.

  4. Lily says

    Hi shay I have 2 questions. 😉
    If I wanted to make your ultimate sausage balls but I am only making it for 2 people do you think I could cut the recipe in half?
    Also do you have any slow cooker summer recipes? We are going white water rafting tomorrow and I am trying to figure out what to make for dinner since we will be gone all day. What would you make? Thanks so much shay

  6. brinkley brown says

    Looks so yummy! Btw, another good taco stuffed shells, is simply prepping the taco meat as normal, then adding a half block of cream cheese, and stuffing shells…omg..one of our favorite go to meals!

  7. Dianna says

    I don’t know why but I don’t like my pasta and Mexican food together. I love them both individually but not mixed. (shoulder shrug lol)

  8. Monica Quiros says

    These were so darn good. Even though I made them days ago, I just had to come here to comment. I admit, that as I was adding the sour cream and taco sauce to the meat, I thought to myself, “this can’t taste good”. I’m a pescatarian, but will try a taste of what I make for the family of it’s a new recipe, just so that I know what it taste like & that it’s good. Oh my gosh I ate 5 shells ??. Next time I make it, I’ll make a modified version in a small dish for me, but even my husband said how good they were! The recipe is going in my meal plan rotation for sure!