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Home » Pasta » Mexican Stuffed Shells

April 7, 2019 By Sara 21 Comments

Mexican Stuffed Shells

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Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe | Stuffed Shells | Mexican Pasta #dinner #pasta #mexican #beef #noodles #cheese #dinneratthezoo

This recipe for Mexican stuffed shells is jumbo pasta stuffed with taco meat, then covered with cheese and baked for perfection. A fun twist on classic stuffed shells that the whole family will love!

Stuffed shells are a family favorite in my house, including chicken alfredo stuffed shells and pizza stuffed shells. This latest addition is full of zesty Mexican flavors and makes for an easy and hearty meal.

Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe | Stuffed Shells | Mexican Pasta #dinner #pasta #mexican #beef #noodles #cheese #dinneratthezoo Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe | Stuffed Shells | Mexican Pasta #dinner #pasta #mexican #beef #noodles #cheese #dinneratthezoo

A baking dish of Mexican stuffed shells filled with ground beef and cheese.

Stuffed shells are one of those recipes that never goes out of style, they’re comfort food at its finest! These Mexican stuffed shells are filled with ground beef, topped with plenty of cheese, and baked in a Mexican style salsa sauce for a fun and unique take on pasta night.

How do you make Mexican stuffed shells?

The first step is to cook your filling, which is made up of ground beef, onions and taco seasoning. The meat mixture gets stuffed into pasta shells, and then the shells get nestled into a zesty sauce made from salsa and taco sauce.

A pan of taco seasoned ground beef and onions.

You can cook your filling up to one day before you plan to bake your shells. I always put my shells in boiling water at the same time as I start cooking the beef, that way everything is done at the same time.

Jumbo shell pasta stuffed with Mexican beef.

Tips for Mexican stuffed shells

  • You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef if you prefer.
  • The sauce is a mixture of mild salsa and taco sauce. You can also use enchilada sauce or a spicy salsa for a different flavor take.
  • These shells can be assembled up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them. Simply cover the pan and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to heat them up. You will have to increase the bake time accordingly.
  • You can use your favorite kind of cheese for these stuffed shells. I used a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack, but other great choices are pepper jack or colby jack.

Unbaked Mexican stuffed shells topped with shredded cheese.

After the Mexican stuffed shells come out of the oven, they get topped with a sprinkling of cilantro and dinner is served! You can add more toppings if you like, some other great choices are

  • diced avocado
  • chopped tomatoes
  • green onions
  • sliced olives

I typically serve this dish with a simple steamed vegetable on the side. If you’re looking for a heartier side dish option, try pinto beans and Mexican rice.

Mexican stuffed shells on a serving plate.

Mexican stuffed shells are a super unique and filling dinner that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. I often take a pan of these shells to potlucks and they’re always the first thing eaten. You will have everyone asking for the recipe!

More Mexican favorites

  • Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
  • Mexican Chicken Soup
  • Mexican Coleslaw
  • Mexican Fruit Salad
  • Mexican Pizza
A baking dish of Mexican stuffed shells filled with ground beef and cheese.
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5 from 15 votes

Mexican Stuffed Shells

This recipe for Mexican stuffed shells is jumbo pasta stuffed with taco meat, then covered with cheese and baked for perfection. A fun twist on classic stuffed shells that the whole family will love!
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword mexican stuffed shells
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 536kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mild taco sauce
  • 1 cup mild salsa
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef I use 90% lean
  • 3/4 cup onion finely diced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 12 ounces jumbo shell pasta cooked according to package directions
  • 2 cups shredded cheese I use a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray.
  • Place the taco sauce and salsa in a bowl and stir until combined. Spread the salsa mixture in an even layer at the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. 
  • Add the ground beef and taco seasoning to the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, for 5-6 minutes or until beef is cooked through.
  • Fill the pasta shells with the beef mixture and place them in the pan on top of the salsa sauce.
  • Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the shells.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
  • Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 736mg | Potassium: 699mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1275IU | Vitamin C: 5.7mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 4.4mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Pasta Tagged With: Cheese, Ground Beef, Mexican Food

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Comments

  1. Gloria says

    April 27, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious fun new recipe for us! Thanks

    Reply
  2. Brian T says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    These were great!! I really stuffed them too, and man did the family like them. Need to find bigger shells ( if they make them), so I can stuff them even bigger. Wonderful dish.

    Reply
  3. Kristen says

    November 4, 2019 at 2:51 pm

    This was fantastic!!! Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
  4. Julie says

    July 10, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    Are these freezer friendly as well. I’ve made stuffed shells before an they were freezer friendly.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      July 10, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      Yes they should be fine in the freezer!

      Reply
  5. Vicky says

    April 17, 2019 at 10:15 am

    5 stars
    Stuffed shells are always a family favorite and I know we will love these with a Mexican twist. I mean who wouldn’t love their favorite Mexican flavors in a pasta shell. Great idea!

    Reply
  6. Bee says

    April 17, 2019 at 10:04 am

    5 stars
    These were delicious!!! My daughter loves pasta and Mexican food. So easy and fast. Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  7. Luci's Morsels says

    April 17, 2019 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    My mom made stuffed pasta shells quite a bit growing up and I haven’t made them is so, so long! I love the Mexican twist here and the great ip to make the filling the day before!

    Reply
  8. Mary Bostow says

    April 17, 2019 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    Oh wow! I may have just died and gone to Heaven. These look so fantastic! I want to make them now!

    Reply
  9. Sharon Chen says

    April 17, 2019 at 9:51 am

    5 stars
    This dish reminds me of Mexico, one of my fave places to be! Looks so yummy!

    Reply
  10. Erin says

    April 17, 2019 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    I love stuffed shell recipes already but this Mexican stuffed shells recipe is a break from the ordinary. I love it!

    Reply
  11. Heidy L. McCallum says

    April 8, 2019 at 9:39 am

    5 stars
    These stuffed shells look wonderful. I love all the flavors. I bet my husband would love this. Saving!

    Reply
  12. Chichi says

    April 8, 2019 at 9:11 am

    5 stars
    Wow. This looks delicious. Meats and pasta are a favorite in my home. Will try making it this way in our next pasta dinner rotation. Yum!!

    Reply
  13. Lauren @ A Nerd Cooks says

    April 8, 2019 at 9:04 am

    5 stars
    These stuffed shells look bonkers good!! My husband would go nuts for them. Adding them to my list of “must make” recipes right now.

    Reply
  14. Kate says

    April 8, 2019 at 8:48 am

    5 stars
    These look really good I bet my toddler would love this! Her favorite food is pasta but the rest of the family gets tired of eating it the same way all the time. I will definitely have to try this recipe!

    Reply
  15. Noel Lizotte says

    April 8, 2019 at 8:23 am

    5 stars
    These are wonderful!
    I’ve been looking for something new to add to the menu on #TacoTuesday. This dish is perfect.
    Everybody loves stuffed shells, don’t they?

    Reply
  16. Theresa says

    April 7, 2019 at 11:44 pm

    5 stars
    I actually cooked this dish last night… with a bunch of help from my 10 year old daughter! Everyone that tried it loved it! I just have to see what mmt 6 year old granddaughter thinks of it next!!! It was a success! A decent amount of ingredients, inexpensive, fun to make, and totally delicious! Thanks a bunch! It’s a new dish in our household! 😍💝💞💞💝

    Reply
    • Sara says

      April 8, 2019 at 11:03 am

      I’m so happy to hear everyone loved it, thank you for reporting back!

      Reply
      • Theresa says

        April 8, 2019 at 11:09 am

        You’re very welcome!

        Reply
  17. Johnny says

    April 7, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    Pasta shells right? Are they cooed first?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      April 8, 2019 at 11:03 am

      Yes pasta shells and they are cooked first!

      Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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