Main Dishes

Taco Stuffed Shells

Taco Stuffed Shells are a magnificent blend of Mexican and Italian food. Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with taco-seasoned ground

  • Serves 6
  • Prep 20 minutes
  • Cook 20 minutes

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Taco Stuffed Shells

Make Ahead

It’s an easy meal the whole family will enjoy. Best of all it can be assembled ahead of time, even a day in advance and then it just takes 20 minutes to bake.

Serve them with a side salad and you have a full meal. This recipe is great for stretching a pound of ground beef into a meal that will serve 6 people.

How To Make Taco Stuffed Shells Spicy

Use spicy taco seasoning and serve with Cholulu Hot Sauce– my favorite hot sauce for Mexican food.

Taco Stuffed Shells in a baking dish

Recipe Tips

  • Be sure to buy Jumbo pasta shells.
  • Only cook the shells to al dente. They will cook more in the oven.
  • Can be frozen. Place them in a foil baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze before baking. Place them in the refrigerator the night before you want to cook them.
  • Green pepper can be used instead of red.
  • Ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef.
  • If you want to add more veggies, try adding diced zucchini.
serving spoon scooping up a Taco Stuffed Shell

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Recipe

Taco Stuffed Shells

Taco Stuffed Shells are a magnificent blend of Mexican and Italian food. Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with taco-seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, salsa, and cheese.

  • Serves 6
  • Prep 20 minutes
  • Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 box jumbo pasta shells (cooked and drained)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 medium yellow or sweet onion (diced)
  • 1 red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh corn, (cooked)
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (divided)
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onion

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

  2. 2

    Place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add onion and bell pepper and continue to cook until the ground beef has no more pink.

  3. 3

    Add the taco seasoning and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in the black beans, corn, salsa, and 1 cup of cheese.

  4. 4

    Fill each shell with filling and place in prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the green onions on top.

  5. 5

    Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes.

Notes

Be sure to buy Jumbo pasta shells. Only cook the shells to al dente. They will cook more in the oven. Ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef.

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Large Nonstick Skillet

Nutrition

  • Calories595 kcal
  • Carbohydrates62 g
  • Protein33 g
  • Fat25 g
  • Saturated Fat11 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat1 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat9 g
  • Trans Fat1 g
  • Cholesterol80 mg
  • Sodium891 mg
  • Potassium826 mg
  • Fiber11 g
  • Sugar7 g
  • Vitamin A1604 IU
  • Vitamin C32 mg
  • Calcium245 mg
  • Iron4 mg