Mexican Stuffed Shells combine classic stuffed shells with a Mexican flair! This stuffed shells recipe is packed with flavor and quick to prepare! Taco seasoned ground beef combined with cream cheese and stuffed into jumbo pasta shells! With an incredible enchilada sauce mixture on top, this cheesy dish is a family favorite!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Jump to:
Homemade Taco Stuffed Shells
If you’re like me and LOVE Mexican food, this pasta shells recipe is a must try! The stuffed shells are rich, creamy, and of course, cheesy! Add your favorite taco toppings and make this your own! It’s a great way to change up Taco Tuesday! Since you can prep this meal ahead of time, it makes dinnertime a breeze!
Why You’ll Love this recipe
- Quick and Easy– basically, its taco seasoned meat combined with cream cheese and stuffed into cooked shells. Easy peasy!
- Packed with Flavor– all the flavors you love about tacos are also combined with a yummy pasta addition!
- Can be made ahead of time– you can prepare this up to 1 day in advance and keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake! Saves time on those busy weeknights!
- Freezer friendly– prepare the shells as directed, but rather then baking them, you can freeze them up to 3 months!
Ingredients needed to make Mexican Stuffed Shells
See printable recipe card for exact ingredient amounts and step by step instructions.
- Beef– or turkey, I use 80/20 lean ground beef in this recipe, just be sure to drain off the fat once cooked
- Taco Seasoning– use store bought or try my homemade taco seasoning
- Cream Cheese– softened full fat works the best in this recipe
- Jumbo Pasta Shells– sometimes these can be hard to find in the grocery store. If needed, you can also use manicotti tubes
- Red Enchilada Sauce– you’ll find this in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store. It is a red tomato based sauce
- Salsa– use your favorite kind, any works
- Cheddar Cheese– shredded, Mexican blend works, Monterey Jack cheese, Colby Jack Cheese, etc.
- Mozzarella Cheese– shredded, if you don’t have any on hand, simply increase the amount of the Cheddar cheese
- Toppings– see notes below
Substitutions and Variations
- You can make this vegetarian by omitting the meat. Use quinoa, pinto beans, or black beans instead with the cream cheese.
- Meat– use ground chicken, pork, or sausage in place of the beef or turkey.
- Vegetables– add in some diced onions or bell peppers with the meat mixture.
- Bring the heat– jalapenos, diced green chiles, and hot sauce are all good additions to the meat mixture AND as toppings.
- You can use taco sauce in place of the enchilada sauce if desired.
Topping Suggestions
This is the fun part! You can truly use any and every topping desired to make these into the ultimate taco shells!
- Sour Cream
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Black Olives
- Diced Tomatoes
- Diced Avocado’s
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Lime Zest and juice
- Lettuce
- Sliced Green Onions
How to make Mexican Stuffed Shells
- In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta shells according to directions on box. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet, cook ground beef over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add in the taco seasoning and mix well.
- Stir in the cream cheese until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the salsa and enchilada sauce.
- To prepare casserole, pour half the enchilada/salsa mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Stuff each cooked pasta shell with about 1 tablespoon of ground beef mixture and place stuffed shell in baking pan.
- Continue until all shells have been stuffed and pan is lined with shells.
- Pour remaining sauce on top of stuffed shells evenly.
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and place pan in oven to cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and sprinkle both cheeses on top.
- Return pan to oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove and serve with desired toppings.
What to serve with Taco Stuffed Shells
If you’re like my family and like a few different options on your plate besides the main course, here are some great options!
- Restaurant Style Tableside Guacamole
- Mexican Corn Casserole
- Homemade Refried Beans
- Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
- Best Ever White Queso Dip
Storage Instructions
Since these delicious Mexican stuffed shells are just as tasty reheated, here are some storage tips to ensure freshness.
- Refrigerator: once fully cooled, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: place leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating. You can also freeze just the meat mixture to use at a later date. It stores for up to 3 months as well. Or, assemble the shells and freeze the taco bake uncooked.
- Reheating Instructions: If refrigerated, simply microwave leftovers in 30 second increments. If frozen, allow to thaw and place the pan into the oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze these stuffed pasta shells?
These shells make a great freezer meal! In fact, I love to make a double batch and place one into the oven to enjoy for dinner, and the other one in the freezer for a later meal. If you freeze the pan, cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to ensure freshness and avoid freezer burn. I love making my extra pan in a disposable tin to simply toss out once I am done.
What other pasta can I use if I can’t find jumbo shells?
Manicotti tubes work for this recipe too. Manicotti tubes are tube shaped whereas the jumbo shells are a bite easier to stuff with their wider opening. Either works good though!
How big are jumbo shells pasta?
These large, concave shells are about the size of a golf ball and once cooked, are quite easy to stuff with the meat mixture.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes to try
Cheesy Mexican Chicken Spaghetti– a creamy pasta casserole with a Tex Mex spin, and a delicious, melty cheddar cheese topping.
Mexican Burrito Roll-Ups– bite-size Mexican Tortilla Rollups are an easy appetizer to share at a party. Roll up, refrigerate, slice and serve with salsa.
Taco Bell Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme– packed with yummy ingredients like beef, cheese, tomatoes, and crispy lettuce. Tastes even better than the original!
King Ranch Chicken Casserole– a combo of chopped chicken, cheese, tortillas, and spicy tomatoes in a creamy sauce, and is a sure-fire hit.
Taco Cornbread Casserole– cornbread base topped with seasoned ground beef, a creamy filling and topped with melted cheese! So good!
Homemade Sour Cream Enchiladas– made with flour tortillas, shredded chicken, Mexican cheese, green chiles, and an amazing sour cream sauce! There’s no need to hit up the restaurants.
This cheesy Mexican Stuffed Shell recipe is a delightful twist on a classic Italian dish. The combination of bold flavors from the seasoned ground beef, creamy cheese filling, and zesty enchilada sauce creates a mouthwatering explosion in every bite. Perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining guests, this recipe is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. So why not add some spice to your meal rotation and give these tasty shells a try? Your taste buds will thank you! If you give them a try, be sure to comment below and leave a star rating!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- 2 tablespoon taco seasoning (see recipe below)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz jumbo pasta shells
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- sour cream, avocado, tomato, lettuce (optional as toppings)
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta shells according to directions on box. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium skillet, cook beef over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add in the taco seasoning and mix well.
- Stir in the cream cheese until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the salsa and enchilada sauce.
- To prepare casserole, pour half the enchilada/salsa mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.
- Stuff each cooked pasta shell with about 1 tablespoon of beef mixture and place stuffed shell in baking pan.
- Continue until all shells have been stuffed and pan is lined with shells.
- Pour remaining sauce on top of stuffed shells evenly.
- Cover pan with alumium foil and place pan in oven to cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and sprinkle both cheeses on top.
- Return pan to oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Serve with toppings of choice or as is! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Supplies used:
Baking Pan https://amzn.to/2KuybvU
Enchilada Sauce https://amzn.to/2tMlXrm
Looking for more Mexican recipes to spice up dinner time? Check out these recipes to try next:
Patricia Toomey says
Can you freeze these recipes to eat latter. Thank
Kristin says
Pasta can be hit or miss refreezing it, but I have frozen this prior to baking it before and its been good! I haven’t tried cooking it and then freezing, but it should still be great!