Go Back
skillet full of a ground beef and noodle casserole

Ground Beef and Noodle Fiesta Skillet

This Fiesta Ground Beef and Noodle Skillet has hamburger, spaghetti noodles, and taco seasonings, making it the perfect weeknight meal.
Servings: 8 servings
Chef Alli
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 2 Tbs. of your favorite taco seasoning
  • 1 Tbs. tomato paste
  • 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies, with juice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 6 oz. spaghetti or angel hair pasta, broken into thirds
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1-2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
  • sour cream and crushed tortilla chips, as desired, for toppings

Instructions
 

  • Heat a 12” heavy-bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium high heat; when the skillet is nicely hot, add the ground beef and taco seasoning, cooking and crumbling the beef until it is fully cooked throughout and no pink remains; drain any fats that accumulate.
    (If the beef is extra lean, you may need to add a bit of oil to the skillet for browning the beef.)
  • Add the tomato paste to the ground beef mixture and cook for 1 full minute, stirring often. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, 3 cups of broth, and the broken spaghetti pieces.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil; cover the skillet, reducing the heat; simmer until the noodles are cooked and tender, approx. 15 minutes.
  • Remove the skillet from heat and top with both cheeses, covering the pot until the cheese is melted, a minute or two.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with the diced tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, as desired.

Notes

  1. Before adding your ground beef (or any ground meat, for that matter) to the skillet, be sure the skillet is very nicely hot, over medium high heat. When the ground beef hits the hot skillet, it browns off, caramelizing the meat to give it a nice sear on the outside, adding great flavor.
  2. I often substitute ground venison in this Fiesta Skillet because we’ve always got a freezer full. You could also substitute ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken, too.
  3. There may seem to be excess liquid in the skillet when you make this pasta.  As the pasta sits, it will absorb that mixture, keeping it nice and creamy. 
  4. This pasta is great as leftovers. Sometimes you may need to add a little chicken broth or some salsa to moisten it up a bit before popping it into the microwave.
  5. This skillet meal would definitely be delicious if you added chili beans or pinto beans. This would also help your meal go further, making it even more budget friendly!

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 18gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 566mgPotassium: 416mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 313IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!