One Pot Buffalo Taco Spaghetti

In one pot and under 30 minutes, make this scrumptious Taco Spaghetti recipe with buffalo sauce, Rotel and cheddar cheese. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners in a hurry and guaranteed to be a hit with the entire family!

Two of my favorite foods are tacos and pasta, so I decided to combine them in this delicious taco spaghetti recipe. You get the flavor of tacos, with the delicious textures of a big bowl of meaty, cheesy pasta. It’s a winning combo that you’ll want to make over and over again.

I added buffalo sauce to the dish, because if you’ve been around the blog since it started in 2011, then you know about my love affair with buffalo sauce! From Buffalo Chicken Pasta to Buffalo Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole, I love the flavor and spice buffalo sauce adds to a recipe.

Not a fan of buffalo sauce? Never fear, you can substitute in hot sauce or taco sauce to make the recipe.

I love this taco spaghetti because it combines two of my favorite recipe qualities. It’s made in one pot and prepared in less than 30 minutes. Quick, easy and delicious, with very little clean-up, now that’s a dish I can get down with!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Ground beef – ground turkey can also be used in place of the beef, if you prefer.
• Taco seasoning – click the link for my easy 5 minute homemade seasoning recipe!
• Diced tomatoes with green chilies – also known under the brand name of “Rotel”. Feel free to use mild, original or hot. For this recipe I used original for a slight amount of heat.
• Buffalo sauce – for this recipe, I used Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, but feel free to use the brand of your choice. Not a fan of buffalo sauce? That’s okay you can still make this recipe! Simply substitute in 1/2 cup hot sauce + 1/2 cup additional chicken broth, or 1 cup taco sauce.
• Spaghetti noodles
• Chicken broth
• Cheddar cheese – for this recipe, I’ve used sharp cheddar cheese, chipotle cheddar cheese and habanero cheddar cheese. If using a cheese with peppers, like chipotles or habaneros, this will spice up the taco spaghetti quite a bit. Using sharp cheddar cheese will give the dish a more mild flavor.

Step by step instructions

Cook the meat. Add the olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the red onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes then add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the ground beef and cook through, until no longer pink.

Stir in the seasonings. Once the beef is cooked, drain any grease, then add the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies and buffalo sauce.

Add the noodles. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and place in the pot.

Cook the noodles. Pour the chicken broth over the noodles and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Serve! Remove the lid, dish up the spaghetti, and top with grated cheddar cheese.

Frequently asked questions

• Is this recipe spicy? The level of spice can easily be adjusted based on the ingredients in the recipe. If you’re not a fan of spice, use a mild can of Rotel tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese and mild taco sauce. If you want to bring the heat, use a can of hot Rotel tomatoes, spicy cheddar cheese and hot taco sauce, or spicy buffalo sauce.
• Can you make it gluten free? Yes, simply substitute in gluten free spaghetti. If using my homemade taco seasoning recipe, it’s naturally gluten free. If purchasing pre-made taco seasoning at the grocery store, always make sure it’s gluten free.
• Can you make it vegetarian? Yes, simply replace the ground beef with soy chorizo, meatless crumbles or a can of drained and rinsed black beans. You’ll also want to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make vegetarian taco spaghetti.
• Can you make it ahead of time? You can make the recipe ahead of time and simply reheat the leftovers. But I do not recommend making it ahead of time and keeping it over low heat on the stove, as the noodles will become overcooked.
• How much spaghetti should I make per person? A serving size of spaghetti noodles is 2 ounces of dry pasta per person. This recipe calls for 8 ounces of dry spaghetti, making this dish perfect for serving 4 people.
• How long will leftovers last in the fridge? Sealed in an airtight container, leftover taco spaghetti will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

What to serve with it

Taco Spaghetti can be served as a complete meal. However, it also pairs wonderfully with these delicious side dishes.

• Buffalo Cheesy Pizza Bread
• Deconstructed Mexican Street Corn
• Cheesy Baked Taco Dip and Chips
• Buffalo Zucchini Chips

More easy one pot recipes

If you’re a fan of one pot meals, be sure to check out all of these tasty recipes.

• Steak & Sriracha Fried Rice
• One Pot Beef Stroganoff 
• Spanish Chorizo Chicken Paella
• One Pot Mediterranean Ground Lamb Pasta
• 5 Ingredient Italian Meatball Soup

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