Creamy Taco Stuffed Shells with Queso
These creamy taco stuffed shells are what happens when taco night gets tired of tortillas and runs off with a box of pasta. Jumbo shells are packed with seasoned beef, drenched in queso, and baked until hot, bubbly, and basically irresistible. It's quick, easy, and just spicy enough to become a weeknight favorite.
Servings 8
Calories 461kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo shell pasta
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 ½ cups queso Restless Chipotle homemade or store bought
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese grated
- green onions
- taco sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Cook jumbo shells according to package instructions. Do not overcook - they'll fall apart.
- Drain, rinse, and let cool.
- Brown ground beef in a heavy skillet.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning over the top.
- Stir in water and simmer until the water is absorbed.
- Stir in cilantro.
- Spray a 13x9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- Gently hold a jumbo shell in the palm of your hand and fill it with meat mixture. It should hold about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons.
- Place in the casserole dish.
- Repeat with the remaining shells until all the meat is gone.
- Pour the queso over the shells, spreading to cover them with it.
- Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the casserole is heated through.
- Drizzle with taco sauce, sprinkle with green onions and serve.
To bake after freezing
- Remove the casserole from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- When ready to fix dinner just bake as directed in the recipe instructions.
Notes
Storage:
You can assemble this dish up to 2 days ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake it.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Tips:
- Don't add salt! The taco seasoning is salty (I suggest getting a low sodium variety) and the queso is salty. If you salt the meat it will be WAY over salted.
- For easy stuffing use a cake decorating bag without an end in it. Fill it with the meat and squeeze it into the pasta.
- Don't overcook the pasta! It will fall apart when you try to stuff it.
Nutrition
Serving: 6shells | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1164mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 807IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 3mg
