Name: Stuffed Taco Meat Shells
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 8 ounces, jumbo shell pasta, cooked according to package directions; 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 packet taco seasoning mix; 2 tsp minced garlic5 ounces softened cream cheese; 1 cup salsa; ½ cup chopped green onions; 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican Cheese Blend

This is a great recipe when you want Mexican without the taco shells. This is a delicious way to enjoy Taco Tuesday. Slight change from the normal, but life gets boring when it is the same each day. You need to switch things up and live a little. I know many people have always asked me why pasta with taco? All I can say to them is that they really need to taste it.

My kids fell in love with it. All the flavor of Taco night is still there, except the tortillas. These are quicker to eat since you do not have to stop to put the toppings you want on. Although I am sure you could if you chose to.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE TACO STUFFED SHELLS

8 ounces, jumbo shell pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 pound lean ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning mix

2 tsp minced garlic5 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup salsa

½ cup chopped green onions

1 ½ cups shredded Mexican Cheese Blend

HOW TO MAKE TACO STUFFED SHELLS

Cook the shells according to package directions

Preheat the oven to 350*

Spray a baking pan lightly or line it with aluminum foil

Add the ground beef to a skillet over medium heat and cook until done all the way

Drain the excess fat from the meat

Mix in the minced garlic

Saute for 1 more minute until fragrant

Add the taco seasoning, salsa and cream cheese.

Stir to combine and melt the cream cheese

Scoop the filling into the shells that have been placed into the prepared pan. Sprinkle it with cheese and bake for 15 minutes.

Garnish with chopped green onion

TIPS AND TRICKS

Do not use any salt! The queso is salty, and the taco seasoning is salty (I recommend choosing a reduced sodium kind). The meat will be oversalted when you salt it.
Use a cake decorating bag that does not have an end for easy padding. Fill it halfway with meat and press it into the pasta.
In addition to the taco seasoning, I occasionally add RoTel tomatoes to the cooked ground beef.
Use 90/10 lean ground beef or leaner ground beef to keep the casserole from becoming greasy, and seasoning to add plenty of flavour.
You can replace the beef in this recipe with ground turkey, or chicken.
While the beef is browning, toss and split it up with a spatula so that it is in little pieces with no large lumps.
Be careful not to overcook the pasta! If you try to stuff it, it will break apart.
If you make this dish ahead of time and freeze it, ensure you defrost it overnight before baking.
Avoid using shredded cheese from a package. Shred it yourself from a block; prepackaged shredded cheese contains cellulose, which prevents it from clumping and will not melt nicely like block cheese.
Looking for a way to make things even easier? Make taco mac & cheese with the small shells you have on hand.
Remove the foil for the final 5 minutes of baking if you want the top of the cheese to crisp up.
Add jalapeno peppers and other taco toppings to your liking.
Before dishing, I like to smother the top with sour cream or guacamole.
These stuffed shells are not only delicious for dinner, but they also make great game-day appetisers. Add a few more dried pasta shells to the water than you would need for preparing stuffed shells because some will rip. This recipe’s filling should fill roughly 16 shells.
The filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to 3 months. We suggest using multiple layers of freezer bags or freezer-safe glass containers.
Baked shells keep well in the freezer. Before freezing, let them cool properly on a rack and cover them tightly in foil. Thaw the frozen shells overnight in the fridge, then bake until heated through at 350°F for about thirty minutes.
Shells can be prepared up to one day ahead of time, both filled and unbaked. Wrap the unbaked stuffed shells with foil and bake in a 350°F oven the following day.
Melted cheese is one of the ingredients that makes stuffed shells such a comfort dish. Shred cheese straight off the block to get the most delight out of this recipe. It melts more easily and has a greater flavour than pre-shredded cheese.
Instead of sour cream, you could make the beef mixture with cream cheese. Sour cream provides moisture and flavour to the dish.
Although I found this recipe to have plenty of sauce (particularly since I like to serve with a lot of sour cream), you can invariably use a larger jar of salsa if you prefer!
Do you want this dish to be spicy? Use a spicy salsa or season the ground beef mixture with red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce while it is cooking.
Before baking, garnish the shells with homemade queso to make them even more cheesy.
To stretch these shells even further, mix in some black beans or corn with the ground beef.
Add finely chopped bell peppers, zucchini, or onions to the ground beef while browning it if you want to increase the amount of vegetables in this casserole.

STORAGE

Refrigerating –

Allow for thorough cooling before storing in a tightly sealed container. In the fridge, the shells will last for three days.

Freezing –

These shells can be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped firmly in plastic wrap and covered with aluminium foil. Before baking, allow it to settle overnight in the fridge.

Reheating –

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for ten to fifteen minutes, or until fully heated. Ensure the plastic wrap is removed before baking.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Should I use really large shells?

I would suggest the large ones, yes. The small shells would make this more of a casserole.

Can I change up the added vegetables?

Definitely! I just add the basics in my recipes. I believe that we all add our own touches based on what the family likes.

Could I use Whole wheat shells?

Please do! I cannot locate any in my area and I refuse to drive too far to get them.

How do I store these?

Place them into an airtight container and then into the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

How do I keep this recipe warm?

Preheat the oven to 375°F and arrange all of the stuffed shells in the baking dish as you wait for it to warm up. Aluminum foil should be used to cover your dish. This will help keep the heat in and warm the inside without blistering the shells or cheese on top.

How do I prevent the shell from breaking?

It is imperative not to overcook the pasta shells; else, they will break.

Is this recipe suitable for a large group?

Depending on appetites, this meal will serve around 8 people. If necessary, it can be doubled.

CONCLUSION

Stuffed shells in a baking dish are an Italian-American classic—they are loaded with ricotta cheese and coated in a red sauce with additional cheese, similar to manicotti, but they are much simpler to stuff. Manicotti is a large tube-shaped pasta that necessitates the filling to be piped in, which may be hard and time-consuming.

Stuffed shells, on the other hand, are easy to put together. All you will need is a spoon and your hands to get started! This taco stuffed shell dish deviates from tradition by using a Mexican-inspired filling instead of ricotta. Shredded Mexican cheese, ground beef, and taco seasoning come together to form the finest stuffed shells filling you have ever had, and one you will want to make over and over.

However, you may easily eat these taco stuffed shells without any adornments, but I truly believe that they are not complete until you top them with your favourite toppings! Shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped onion, sour cream, and perhaps a dollop of guacamole are some of the toppings I propose. When making traditional tacos, add anything you like most.

Yield: 6

Stuffed Taco Meat Shells

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces, jumbo shell pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 pound lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix
2 tsp minced garlic5 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup salsa
½ cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican Cheese Blend

Instructions