How to make taco spaghetti casserole (video)

Emma Blecker

Contributing Writer

We're always looking for new and exciting ways to elevate the all-time king of family meals: spaghetti dinner. This superb (and somewhat surprising) recipe for taco spaghetti casserole is one of our favorite family dinners within this highly competitive dinner category. For this dish, delicious ground beef is cooked with taco seasoning and sauce before being tossed with cream cheese and spaghetti, while a final layer of shredded cheese creates a savory topping!

This tasty casserole uses all of your favorite flavors and ingredients of a classic taco dinner while incorporating them beautifully into a wholesome spaghetti feast. The added pasta helps to bulk up the meal a bit, making plenty for second helpings and leftovers. We recommend serving this tasty dish with a dollop of sour cream and some sliced green onions.

Cooktop Cove

Taco Spaghetti Casserole

35 minutes

1 hour, 10 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, small diced

1 pound ground beef

1 cup cream cheese

2 1-ounce packets taco seasoning

2 cups taco sauce

8 ounces spaghetti, cooked according package

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream (topping)

Green onions , thinly sliced (topping)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat.

Add garlic and onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add ground beef and saute until thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat. Drain any excess fat.

Add cream cheese, taco seasoning and taco sauce. Stir until fully combined.

Add cooked spaghetti noodles and mix well.

Spread noodle mixture in a baking dish. Evenly top with cheddar cheese.

Bake in oven for 35 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Tip: If you can't find a jar of taco sauce easily, we recommend using this great recipe from Food.com for a quick and easy homemade version. You can even make an extra batch and freeze for later use!

Resources Food.com and Banner Image Credit

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