Spaghetti tacos are as much fun to make as they are to eat!

Cook savory ground beef in the best tangy tomato sauce with spaghetti noodles, then scoop it into crispy taco shells!

This tasty recipe takes fusion cooking to a new level!

plated Spaghetti Taco

What are Spaghetti Tacos?

  • Fun fusion! Mexican meets Italian in this fun recipe that the kids will love! Fill some hand-held tacos with spaghetti and a tangy meat sauce!
  • This easy, one-pot dinner is crazy messy but crazy good! It’s great for birthday parties and sleepovers, too.
  • DIY fun! Make the spaghetti and keep it warm in a Crockpot. Then set out taco shells and fun toppings so everyone can build their own spaghetti taco! Serve with some taco soup or cheesy taco pasta for a tasty Tex-Mex inspired meal! Or keep with the spaghetti theme and serve spaghetti tacos with spaghetti salad or chicken spaghetti!
pan of Spaghetti Taco filling

Ingredients and Variations

Beef – An 80/20 blend will make the tomato sauce extra juicy, but ground chicken or turkey works too. Use up leftover meat like steak or pork chops for a more budget-friendly meal! This universal seasoning is perfect for any recipe using ground beef.

Sauce – Use your favorite pasta or marinara sauce, and season it any way you like! Go extra Italian garlic or extra red pepper flakes Mexican!

Pasta – Any size of spaghetti noodles works! Even orzo, mini macaroni, or ditalini are easy to use in this recipe!

Taco Shells – Use ready-made crispy shells, soft shells, or crispy tortilla bowls or boats.

Cheese – Cotija cheese is tangy and crumbly and great on spaghetti tacos! We also like shredded Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend – mix-and-match cheeses, if you like!

Toppings – Top spaghetti tacos with parmesan cheese, sour cream, chopped avocados, guacamole or even some copycat Taco Bell quesadilla sauce.

Variations – Switch out the spaghetti for zucchini squash noodles, or omit the meat entirely for two cans of drained black beans for a vegetarian recipe.

Four spaghetti tacos on a wooden board with spaghetti taco pasta in a skillet

How to Make Spaghetti Tacos

  1. Make spaghetti per the instructions on the box. Drain and add to a pot with oil.
  2. Prepare ground beef (per recipe below).
  3. Stir in everything but the spaghetti sauce and cook until the onion is soft.
  4. Combine meat sauce and noodles and warm through.
  5. Fill taco shells with spaghetti and garnish as desired before serving.

Pro Tip:

Spaghetti tacos can be pre-assembled and baked casserole-style and kept in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Storing Spaghetti Tacos

Discard used taco shells and keep spaghetti in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave before adding to fresh taco shells.

A spaghetti taco, garnished with feta, being held

Other Tasty Taco Inspired Recipes

Have you tried this Spaghetti Tacos Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!

plated Spaghetti Taco
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Spaghetti Tacos Recipe

Spaghetti Tacos are messy, fun and extra delicious. Cooked in a rich beef and tomato sauce and served in crispy taco shells with your favorite toppings.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 tacos
Author Catalina

Ingredients  

  • 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 pound ground beef (chicken or turkey work as well)
  • 1 small sweet onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional (for a spicier kick)
  • 26 ounces spaghetti sauce 1 jar
  • 12 hard taco shells

Suggested Toppings:

  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Crumbled Cotija cheese

Instructions 

  • Prepare spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain, return to pot, drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil and toss to prevent sticking.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Cook the meat until nicely browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
  • Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper and taco seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes, until onion is soft.
  • Add spaghetti sauce and cook until warmed.
  • Add beef sauce to spaghetti noodles or add the noodles to the skillet if the skillet is large enough, and mix gently.

Assembly

  • Fill the shells with spaghetti mixture and garnish with desired toppings. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Nutritional information does not include toppings.
  • Pre-assemble and bake spaghetti tacos casserole-style to serve a crowd. Keep them warm in an oven until ready to serve.
  • For leftover spaghetti tacos, discard used taco shells and refrigerate spaghetti mixture in a covered container for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat spaghetti mixture on the stovetop or microwave before adding to fresh taco shells.
5 from 10 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 481mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian, Mexican

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close up of Spaghetti Taco with chese and a title
Spaghetti Taco in the pan and in crispy shells with a title
Spaghetti Taco in the pan and plated with writing

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About the author

Catalina thinks that time in the kitchen should be fun, and we should spend less time cooking and more time eating! As a successful business woman, with a busy career on Wall Street, she develops easy weeknight meals that you can make in 30 minutes or less!. Catalina lives in the NYC metro area with her husband, who is also a great cook, and their 4 year old boy, who gladly helps in the kitchen. Catalina will inspire you to experiment with flavors, try new ingredients and create easy meals with less effort. You can visit her blog Sweet & Savory Meals for more inspiration.
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