CrockPot Taco Spaghetti
Get ready for this weeknight dinner hero: CrockPot Taco Spaghetti. It’s a game-changer for busy days! Enjoy the tasty flavor of tacos with the comfort of spaghetti, all effortlessly cooked in your slow cooker.
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CrockPot Taco Spaghetti
Here’s everything you need to make this slow cooker taco pasta recipe.
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Substitutions and Recipe Variations
Ground beef: Instead of making taco spaghetti with ground beef you can also swap it with ground chicken or ground turkey.
Canned crushed tomatoes: Feel free to use fresh tomatoes by blending them in a blender or crushing them by hand.
Cheddar cheese: You can use any of your favorite shredded cheese like cheddar jack or a store-bought blend.
Taco seasoning: A packet of taco seasoning has about 3 tablespoons inside. You can either make homemade taco seasoning or buy storebought.
Tools you’ll need
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Why is this meal an absolute game-changer for busy moms like you?
Picture this: it’s morning, the day’s chaos looms large, and you need a dinner idea that doesn’t add to your already overflowing plate.
Enter the slow cooker—the unsung hero that transforms this recipe into simplicity and convenience.
The beauty of this CrockPot Taco Spaghetti recipe lies in its ‘set it and forget it’ nature.
Once you’ve browned the beef and tossed in those flavorful ingredients—think bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, your favorite store-bought salsa, and that signature taco seasoning—your slow cooker takes over.
Yes, it requires your browning beef first, but you could cook it the night before and have it ready for your busy morning.
While your dinner simmers away, you’re free to conquer the day.
Attend to work emails, drive the kids to their activities, or simply steal a moment for yourself—knowing that dinner is effortlessly taking care of itself. It’s a perfect recipe for busy weeknights.
After a few hours of cooking, add the spaghetti noodles.
This will cook for another 20 minutes and then after that, top with cheese, cover until melted and you’re ready for dinner!
CrockPot Pasta Tip:
Prevent the pasta from sticking together in the Crock Pot by lightly spraying the noodles with non-stick cooking spray before placing them in the slow cooker.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy your easy weeknight dinner!
What to Serve with Taco Spaghetti
When serving a heavier dish like spaghetti, especially one with a ton of flavor like taco spaghetti, you might want to balance it with lighter side dishes.
Here are some options that pair well with spaghetti:
- Green Salad: A simple green salad with a mix of your favorite leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, etc). Add refreshing and crunchy vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and a light vinaigrette (like a cilantro and honey dressing).
- Steamed Vegetables: Opt for lighter vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, or green beans.
- Herbed Breadsticks: Serve homemade or store-bought breadsticks sprinkled with herbs thyme, oregano, and spices like chili powder, garlic, and cumin for a lighter alternative to garlic bread.
- Mexican Coleslaw: A twist on classic coleslaw with a Mexican flair. Shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and a dressing made with lime juice, honey, and a touch of chili powder. You can also try this spicy coleslaw recipe.
What to Do with Leftovers
You can store this taco spaghetti recipe in an airtight container (or multiple airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days).
Repurpose Leftovers
If you don’t want to eat the taco spaghetti day after day, you can utilize the leftovers for new meals. Here are some creative recipe ideas:
- Taco Spaghetti Stuffed Peppers: Cut bell peppers in half, remove the seeds, and stuff them with the leftover taco spaghetti. Top with cheese and bake until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
- Taco Spaghetti Quesadillas: Spread taco spaghetti between tortillas with shredded cheese. Pan-toast until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.
- Taco Spaghetti Bake: Layer the leftover taco spaghetti in a baking dish with additional cheese. Top with breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly and golden for a comforting casserole-style meal.
- Taco Spaghetti Burrito Bowls: Use the leftover spaghetti as a base for burrito bowls. Top with black beans, diced tomatoes, avocado slices, shredded lettuce, and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Taco Spaghetti Soup: Combine the leftover spaghetti with broth, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, and Mexican spices to create a flavorful taco spaghetti soup. Simmer until heated through and serve with a sprinkle of cheese and chopped cilantro.
- Taco Spaghetti Stuffed Zucchini: Hollow out zucchini and stuff them with the leftover taco spaghetti. Bake until the zucchinis are tender and the filling is heated through.
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Our Favorite
CrockPot Recipes
CrockPot Taco Spaghetti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper diced
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup salsa
- 15 oz canned corn drained
- 1 package of taco seasoning 3 tablespoons
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 12 oz spaghetti pasta
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh minced cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef and cook until crumbled and no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer the cooked meat to the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add the diced bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, salsa, corn, taco seasoning and broth.
- Stir and cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Add in the spaghetti pasta. Cook for an additional 10-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and cover with the lid for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Stir well.
- Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy!