Baked Taco Spaghetti Casserole
Taco Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
How to Make Taco Spaghetti with Ground Beef, Rotel & Black Beans
Serve up this flavorful, baked taco spaghetti casserole with all your favorite taco fixin’s! Warm, comforting noodles paired with zesty ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, loads of cheese—whatever your taste buds desire. Learn how to make a taco spaghetti bake in under an hour, including how to prep or freeze ahead of time for meal prep.
If you’re a big-time spaghetti lover like me, why not kick things up a notch from the traditional marinara and meatballs? Instead of loading taco fillings into tortilla shells, you can toss all those goodies together with freshly cooked noodles! Baked in a casserole dish with a generous layer of Mexican cheese, it’s like a hearty taco fiesta that you can twirl on the end of your fork.
Best of all, this taco spaghetti casserole has just as much versatility as taco night. Switch up the meats or keep it vegetarian; add new veggies and seasonings; use your favorite gluten free or chickpea noodles (my personal favorite). The options are deliciously endless! A wonderfully simple and customizable dinner idea that’s quick enough to throw together on a weeknight.
Baked Taco Spaghetti Ingredients
- spaghetti noodles of choice (regular, gluten free, chickpea, etc.)
- onion
- ground meat of choice (optional)
- black beans
- diced tomatoes & green chiles
- salsa
- taco seasoning
- Mexican cheese
Substitution Notes
- Noodles: Use any variety of spaghetti noodle that you enjoy—regular wheat pasta, gluten free pasta, or a bean or lentil pasta. Personally, I enjoy chickpea spaghetti noodles, and I like their added boost of protein and fiber!
- Ground Meat: Include up to 1lb or just ½lb of any ground meat you prefer, whether it’s beef, turkey, chicken, pork, or even tofu. Or, feel free to omit the meal altogether for a vegetarian meal.
- Beans: Black beans are a classic with tacos, but you can use any beans you like!
- Salsa: Change up the salsa to change up the flavors in your taco spaghetti casserole from week to week! Also, if you prefer a saucier spaghetti, feel free to use more than just a few tablespoons of salsa.
- Cheese: A shredded Mexican cheese blend is my favorite option to melt on top of this casserole, but you can use any melty cheese that you like here.
How to Make Taco Spaghetti Casserole
- Cook spaghetti noodles of choice according to package directions.
- Saute onion in oil and cook ground meat of choice through. Season to taste with taco seasoning.
- Add remaining taco filling ingredients and stir to combine.
- Toss cooked spaghetti noodles in meat mixture and transfer to a casserole dish.
- Top with additional cheese and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 minutes.
How to Store Spaghetti Casserole
This simple taco spaghetti bake is a great option for a quick weeknight meal or a meal prep dinner that you can make ahead of time! Once it’s baked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Then, you can reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven to enjoy throughout the week. (If you’re feeling adventurous, use the leftovers to make a taco spaghetti grilled cheese sandwich!)
How to Freeze for Meal Prep
You can also this meal prep casserole ahead of time, so you’ve got a healthy dinner that’s ready to bake whenever you want it!
- Before baking, allow casserole to cool completely in a freezer-safe glass baking dish.
- Cover and freeze for 1-3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
For more freezer meal ideas, try my spaghetti mac and cheese or my mini loaf pan lasagna recipe!
To see how this spaghetti bake is made, watch my CRAZY Spaghetti Recipes video!
Taco Spaghetti Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles of choice, (I used chickpea noodles)
- drizzle of oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 8 oz ground meat of choice, (beef, turkey, chicken)
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 15 oz canned black beans, drained & rinsed
- 10 oz canned diced tomatoes & green chiles, (mild Rotel)
- 3 Tbsp salsa
- ¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend , (divided into ¼ cup & ½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and saute onion for 2-3 minutes. Add ground meat of choice and cook through.
- Season meat to taste with taco seasoning, stirring to combine. Add beans, diced tomatoes& green chiles, salsa, and ¼ cup of cheese. Stir to integrate.
- Add cooked and drained spaghetti to meat mixture, tossing to combine.
- Transfer to a 13×9-inch baking or casserole dish and cover with remaining ½ cup of cheese.
- Bake 25 minutes, until browned on top.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
To Freeze for Meal Prep:
- Before baking, store casserole in a freezer-safe glass baking dish or casserole dish with a lid. Allow to cool completely, then cover and freeze for 1-3 months.
- Thaw overnight (~24 hours) in the fridge before you plan to bake the casserole.
- Once thawed, bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes. (Check to see how it’s heating through—you may need to bake for up to an hour after freezing & thawing.)
