Description
A fusion dish combining taco‑seasoned ground beef with spaghetti and tomato, topped with cheese and optional garnishes.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (about 225 g) spaghetti noodles (uncooked)
- 1 lb (≈ 450 g) lean ground beef (e.g. 90/10 or 93/7)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 (10 oz / ~280 g) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (e.g. RoTel), undrained
- 1 packet taco seasoning (≈ 1 to 1.5 oz)
- ½ cup reserved pasta water (or more as needed)
- 4 oz (≈ 115 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Sour cream (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook until the beef is browned and onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and the can of diced tomatoes (with juices). Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook ~5 minutes.
- Add the drained spaghetti into the skillet with the meat and tomato mixture. Stir to combine everything.
- Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the mixture and stir until the cheese melts and coats the pasta.
- Serve immediately, topped with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of pasta water, adding more if the mixture seems too dry.
- Feel free to mix in other taco toppings like diced tomatoes, olives, or jalapeños as garnish.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3‑4 days.
- If you’d like, use ground turkey or a vegetarian alternative instead of beef.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 669 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: —
- Trans Fat: —
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: —
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
