This casserole makes a delicious change of pace from ordinary pasta casseroles. The corkscrew noodles? They make it fun! &mdash;Joy Smith, Bigfork, Minnesota

Mexican Pasta Bake

beef

taco seasoning

(15 ounces) tomato sauce

green pepper

garlic powder

oregano

spiral

cheddar cheese, divided

sour cream

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, green pepper and spices. Bring to a boil; remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, combine the pasta, 1/2 cup cheese and sour cream. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Top with meat mixture and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350&deg; for 30 minutes or until heated through.

I made this but substituted cream cheese because I didn't have any sour cream. I skipped the green pepper. I also left out the garlic powder because the cream cheese was garlic herb. Can't taste the taco seasoning at all, maybe because I used the water with it. Probably would skip the water next time. The tomato sauce is the main flavor. I like the acidic taste from the tomato sauce.

I made this using only two servings of elbow macaroni since my hubby and I need to watch our carbs. I did add some sliced ripe olives to the meat mixture. It was delicious! Will be in our rotation.

Great change from taco Tuesday - family loves mexican and pasta - and this is a great mix of both with great flavor.  I am always looking for new recipes, and this one is now in the rotation.  I am a working mom with 3 kids, so always appreciate receipes that are quick, easy and delicious...this checks those boxes!

More of everything. Rotel with peppers. Jack cheese. Yum. Could add beans, corn, black olives, tortillas, green onions.

I make notes in all my cookbooks of the dates that I make recipes.  I first made this one in March 1994 when my boys were still small.  I wound up taking it several times to Cub Scout cover-dish meetings.  The kids adored it.Over the years, as the boys' tastes changed and they wanted spicier food, I began adding more spices to zing things up, but the basic recipe is still the same.  Recently I attended a Scout meeting with my nephew (ah! the memories) and I made the original recipe to take along.  Kids still love it!

Very good weeknight meal.  I added corn to it.  The taste was just a little on the strong side.

Made this for dinner , very good I really loved it.

I make this with gluten-free elbow noodles and meatless grounds to make it gluten and meat free. Tastes wonderful and I usually have the other ingredients in the pantry on any given day. It's a great weeknight meal or even to take to a pot luck or large gathering.

Made this tonight and my teenagers loved it!  I didn't use green pepper or oregano because I didn't have it but I did add some chopped scallions for a little green.  They're eating it with tortilla chips well, because they can. :)  When I asked if I should make it again, they both nodded emphatically while they're mouths were stuffed full.  I'd say that's a Mom win!

YUMMY!   I doubled the cheese and sour cream when I made this and it was SO creamy and delicious!  Great recipe!  This is going to be a go-to recipe for me!

Absolutely delicious and creamy. I mixed everything together and served from the pot (didn't have time to bake) and it was so good! I also skipped the green pepper because I didn't have any on hand.

Great base recipe - for us, too salty without diluting taco seasoning, so next time we will dilute as directed for making tacos - also, will substitute diced green chiles for green pepper and increase pasta, sour cream & cheese - instead of cheddar, we used Mexican and will stick with that when making again - as another reviewer suggested, we added diced tomatoes which added flavor & texture (use undrained to further cut saltiness - we tripled recipe & used 1 large can - next time, I think we'll use 2 large cans) - also, used pasta pictured with recipe (Barilla Cellentani) cooked "al dente" which held up well in casserole (corkscrew & spiral are mentioned in comments & ingredients but pasta variations are not what is pictured with recipe)With all recipes, we always mix dry ingredients together before combining with wet for more even flavor throughout the dish (in this case, taco seasoning, oregano & garlic powder) - also use Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil spray to grease pan which is super quick & easy - spray helpful to use in fry pan with meat too as it makes cleanup easierThis recipe adapts well for a variety of tastes - those who like salty & spicy, make as is or even kick it up a notch by adding more spice/salt - those who prefer less salty can adjust ingredients to their taste - this recipe can also easily convert to an Italian variation by adding Ricotta Cheese to sour cream & shredded cheese (Italian), omitting taco seasoning & replacing with Italian seasoning, splitting meat 1/2 beef/1/2 ground hot sausage & adding extra tomato sauce on top of meat mixture before adding shredded cheese & baking (Texas Toast Garlic Bread would be awesome with this variation)Thanks for the recipe - love it!

Yummy! My husband and I really liked this dish. We're having a very cold weather spell and this just hit the spot tonight. I froze leftovers into two lunches hubby can have next week or whenever he wants them. Super good dish!

Quick, easy & hearty meal!! Great for a busy night!

Made this recipe as written except I substituted plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream. It was very good, but I think a little too salty. I think the next time I make it I will add some water with the taco seasoning and that might help reduce the saltiness.

This was GREAT! I did use some cottage cheese, since I didn't have enough sour cream, and I also didn't have any tomato sauce, so I used enchilada sauce instead. Definite keeper in this household!

I made this for my 3 adult men and they loved this it was a hit and easy to make.

Thought is was slightly bland. Will make again but add a bit more seasoning to it it was quick and easy to make.

Easy and tasty, I did add more cheese and sour cream and only had 1/2 box of spiral pasta and that worked great. I also added 1T of chili powder in addition to the taco seasoning. My family enjoyed it, that's what matters!

Easy, a nice mild "mexican" dish for those who can't do very spicy dishes but still like the flavors.  The pasta is a creamy complement to the meat layer.

When I managed a kitchen I made this weekly and sold out everytime!! Make it at home all the time.

Loved it! It was super easy and loved the way the sour cream and cheese kept the pasta moist and yummy. Will definitely make again!

Really good and easy to make.  I didn't have spiral pasta on hand so substituted 2 cups (uncooked) elbow macaroni, which I think turned out to be a bit too much.  Will use 1-1/2 cups the next time.  I also increased the cheese b/c we love cheese to a 2 cup mix between sharp cheddar and Monterey jack.  This dish has lots of flavor.  I made it ahead, put it in the fridge then brought it to room temp to bake.  Will definitely make it again.

This was a hit with my pasta AND taco loving teenagers!  Four hungry teenagers devoured it!  The pasta level is unexpectedly creamy, yummy!  Made exactly as stated.  However, I think next time may pick a pepperjack cheese to make it a bit more spicy but it is a great recipe.  Try this recipe, it appeals to many different tastes!

mexican pasta bake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

Author : Taste of Home

Ingredients

Instructions

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