Description
Mexican-inspired Crockpot Taco Spaghetti combines zesty spices with hearty pasta for a quick family dinner. Cheese-covered noodles with ground beef create a comforting meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tbsps homemade taco seasoning)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
- 8 oz (226 g) spaghetti, broken in half
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or your favorite blend)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 (10 oz/284 g) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies (or plain diced tomatoes)
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can tomato sauce
- Fresh cilantro or green onions, chopped
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Salsa
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Brown ground beef and onions in a skillet, draining excess fat. Coat thoroughly with taco seasoning for deep flavor infusion.
- Crockpot Assembly: Transfer seasoned meat into crockpot. Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth, creating a robust sauce foundation. Mix ingredients comprehensively to ensure uniform flavor distribution.
- Flavor Development: Cover crockpot and slow cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Periodically stir to prevent ingredient stratification and maintain consistent heat circulation.
- Pasta Integration: Submerge broken spaghetti strands directly into simmering sauce. Gently separate noodles to prevent clustering. Cook on high heat for 20-25 minutes until pasta reaches optimal tenderness, ensuring complete sauce absorption.
- Cheese Transformation: Gradually incorporate shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Stir continuously until cheese melts completely, creating a silky, uniform consistency throughout the dish.
- Final Presentation: Garnish with fresh cilantro or green onions. Serve immediately, accompanied by optional toppings like sour cream, avocado slices, or salsa for personalized flavor enhancement.
Notes
- Meat Browning Technique: Ensure ground beef is thoroughly browned and excess fat is drained to prevent a greasy texture and enhance the dish’s overall flavor profile.
- Seasoning Intensity: Generously coat meat with taco seasoning, massaging spices into the beef to guarantee deep, uniform flavor penetration throughout the dish.
- Pasta Cooking Precision: Break spaghetti into smaller segments and submerge completely in liquid, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking in the crockpot.
- Cheese Melting Strategy: Add cheese gradually and stir continuously to create a smooth, creamy consistency without clumping or separating during the final stage of cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg