One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet

Name: One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup yellow onion (chopped); 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1 pinch salt (to taste); 1 pinch black pepper (to taste); 2 cups water (separated); 15 oz corn ((1 can) drained); 1 cup salsa (any flavor, mild to spicy); 1 cup taco sauce (any flavor, mild to spicy); 1 oz taco seasoning (any flavor, mild to spicy); 2 cup elbow macaroni; 2 cup Mexican cheese blend (shredded, separated); 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped); 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Written by Chrisy | 08/14/15

Dinner Recipes 30 minutes or less beef pasta

An easy taco skillet that's like a gourmet version of Hamburger Helper. Perfect to make on busy weeknights. Plus, you can make it as spicy (or not) as you want!

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About One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet

It’s been a hectic week over here at our house, and I can’t tell you how ready I am for 1) the weekend and 2) another helping of this ultra cheesy taco skillet.

I’m hoping I’ll be able to relax a little bit over the next few days. But, knowing me, I’ll wake up from a daze and catch myself doing more work, perpetually caught up in the “I’ll just finish this one last thing…” cycle.

I guess that’s the cost of loving what you do for a living.

But there are parts of my “job” that can be easy, too. A busy week for me means that I’m pressed for time to make dinner, and when I’m pressed for time it means I start brainstorming the best way to whip up a recipe that can be cooked from start to finish in one pan.

And who doesn’t love that?

There’s nothing easier (or better after a long day) than a full flavored dish that doesn’t create a mess or leave you feeling like you just finished running a marathon. After how this week has been, no matter how much I secretly love what I do, I just wanted something simple that I could enjoy without having to overthink it too much.

And with this taco skillet, I totally nailed it.

One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet! An easy taco skillet that's like a gourmet version of Hamburger Helper. Perfect for busy weeknights. And you can make it as spicy (or not) as you want! | HomemadeHooplah.com

This is a very basic recipe at its core – beef, elbow macaroni, cheese, plus all the tasty taco flavors you can handle – but sometimes (okay, most of the time) simple recipes are the best kind.

Perfection doesn’t need to be an elaborate exercise in culinary excellence. Some ingredients just work together because they work together.

End of story.

It’s hard to improve perfection.

Sort of like beef and macaroni – they were made to go together. As were taco seasoning and sour cream.

Oh, and cheese.

Lots and lots of cheese.

Because cheese plays well with everything.

This is the type of dinner I’d look forward to ending my day with.

notes & tips for this taco skillet recipe

This recipe makes a nice full pot of pasta, and I can personally guarantee that the left overs will taste amazing the next day for lunch.
To make this dish fast and easy, jarred sauces and spice packets are used. If you’d rather make everything from scratch, check out these recipes: Homemade Taco Seasoning, 5 Minute Salsa, and 5 Minute Taco Sauce.
Looking for more on pan meals? Be sure to check out One Pan Smoky Ranch Pork Chops and Veggies, One Pan BBQ Chicken, One Skillet Cheesy Sausage Gnocchi, and Creamy Dijon Chicken.

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RATING:

4.29 from 7 votes