Taco stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells packed with creamy taco-seasoned beef, baked in salsa and green enchilada sauce under melted Colby Jack, then finished with crunchy corn chips and cool sour cream. They are a fun change from tacos on a weeknight and easy to carry to a potluck.
How to make taco stuffed shells: Simmer browned ground beef with taco seasoning and cream cheese, spoon it into cooked jumbo shells and set them in a dish over salsa. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes with enchilada sauce, add cheese and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Taco night in a baking dish. All the flavors, no shells cracking in your hand.
- Creamy filling. Cream cheese melts into the taco beef so it stays put inside the pasta.
- Crunch on top. Crushed corn chips go on at the end, so they stay crisp.
- Ready in 50 minutes. Fifteen minutes of prep and 35 of cooking.
Ingredient Notes
Jumbo pasta shells. You need 12. Cook a few extra in case one tears.
Taco seasoning. One envelope, stirred into the beef with 3/4 cup of water.
Cream cheese. Four ounces go into the hot beef and melt into a creamy filling.
Salsa and green enchilada sauce. The salsa goes under the shells and the enchilada sauce goes over them.
Corn chips and sour cream. Both are added after baking, right before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 envelope taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup crushed Fritos, added before serving
- 1/2 cup sour cream, added before serving
How to Make Taco Stuffed Shells
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Make the filling. Cook the ground beef in a large pan until it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain the grease. Add the water and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the cream cheese, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cream cheese melts. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool.
3. Cook the shells. Cook the jumbo shells according to the package directions. Toss them with the melted butter and set aside.
4. Fill the shells. Spoon the salsa into an 11-by-7-inch baking dish. Fill the shells with the beef mixture and arrange them in the dish.
5. Bake. Drizzle the green enchilada sauce over the shells and bake for 20 minutes. Add the shredded Colby Jack and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the casserole reaches 165°F in the center on a food thermometer.
6. Finish. Add the crushed Fritos and sour cream before serving.
How to Keep the Shells From Sticking
Cooked jumbo shells love to stick to each other while they wait to be filled. Keep them coated and apart from the moment they are drained.
Toss the drained shells with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter right away. If you have the counter space, you can also spread the drained shells out on a prepared pan so they do not touch while you get the filling ready.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Drain | As soon as the package time is up |
| Coat | Toss with the melted butter |
| Hold | Set aside, or spread on a prepared pan so they do not stick together |
| Fill | Once the beef mixture has cooled |
Let the filling cool in a bowl before you start, then hold each shell open in one hand and spoon the beef in with the other.
Tips for Success
When do the corn chips go on?
At the very end, after the shells come out of the oven. They are a topping, like the sour cream, and they go on right before the dish goes to the table.
Why is my filling runny?
It did not simmer long enough. After the cream cheese goes in, lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted into the beef.
Why is my cheese too dark?
It went on at the start. The shells bake for 20 minutes with only the enchilada sauce, and the Colby Jack is added for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Variations
- Beans and corn. Stir refried beans and corn into the beef for a heartier filling.
- Ground turkey. Use ground turkey in place of the ground beef.
- Mexican-blend cheese. Swap the Colby Jack for a shredded Mexican-blend cheese.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw frozen shells in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, not on the counter. Reheat until a food thermometer reads 165°F, and add fresh corn chips and sour cream after reheating.
What to Serve With It
If your family likes taco-flavored dinners, there are plenty more to try: taco stuffed baked potatoes, a layered taco bake or a classic taco casserole. For another pasta night, make one-pot taco spaghetti. On a cold evening, a pot of quick and easy taco soup hits the same notes, and stuffed pepper casserole gives you the stuffed flavor without filling anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should the beef and the finished shells reach?
Cook the ground beef to 160°F before you season it. The finished casserole should reach 165°F in the center.
What size baking dish do I need?
An 11-by-7-inch baking dish holds the 12 filled shells. Spread the salsa over the bottom first, then set the shells on top with the open side up so the filling stays in while they bake.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes. Colby Jack is what this recipe uses, and a shredded Mexican-blend cheese melts the same way.
How many shells does the recipe make?
Twelve filled jumbo shells, which is 4 servings of three shells each.
Final Notes
I boil two or three extra shells every time, so a torn one never leaves me short. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
Taco Stuffed Shells
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 envelope taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Fritos crushed; add before serving
- 1/2 cup sour cream add before serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the ground beef in a large pan until it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer. Drain the grease. Add the water and taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the cream cheese, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cream cheese melts. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool.
- Cook the jumbo shells according to the package directions. Toss them with the melted butter and set aside.
- Spoon the salsa into an 11-by-7-inch baking dish. Fill the shells with the beef mixture and arrange them in the dish.
- Drizzle the green enchilada sauce over the shells and bake for 20 minutes. Add the shredded Colby Jack and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the casserole reaches 165°F in the center on a food thermometer.
- Add the crushed Fritos and sour cream before serving.
