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These Mexican Stuffed Shells make for a hearty weeknight meal. I created this cheesy pasta casserole so it’s packed with taco-seasoned ground beef and topped with a fiesta of Mexican flavors. The perfect combination of my favorite foods!
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“We LOVED it! Easy to make and really good.”-Valerie
Easy Cheesy Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe
My recipe for Mexican stuffed shells features jumbo pasta shells loaded with savory, taco-seasoned meat, then slathered with plenty of melty cheese and baked to absolute perfection. It’s my fun Mexican twist on classic stuffed shells—a hearty, comforting dinner that never disappoints. I love topping mine with all my favorite Mexican-inspired goodies, like cool sour cream, crunchy corn chips, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of taco sauce. Every time I make it, it’s a hands-down crowd-pleaser and one of those dishes everyone always asks me for the recipe for.
Mexican Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper stem, ribs & seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 lb. lean ground beef ground turkey or chicken also work
- 2 tsp taco or chili seasoning
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro divided
- 1 cup taco sauce divided, mild or spicy, enchilada sauce also works
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or Colby Jack
- 1 cup crushed corn chips such as Fritos
- garnishes: sour cream, cilantro, scallions or green onions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta to al denté (per package directions), drain, and rinse with cool water. Lay the shells, open-side down, on a paper towel to dry while preparing the other ingredients.12 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, and diced jalapeño. Cook the onion and jalapeño, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a paper towel.1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil, 1 medium onion, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking the beef apart, until lightly browned. If there is just a small amount of rendered fat in the pan, no need to drain.1 lb. lean ground beef
- Add taco seasoning, cream cheese, salt, black pepper, 1 tbsp cilantro, ¼ cup taco sauce, and ½ cup shredded cheese to the beef mixture and stir well.2 tsp taco or chili seasoning, 4 oz. cream cheese, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup taco sauce, 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or Colby Jack, 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- Cook 2-3 minutes, over medium-low heat, until mixture is hot and cheese has melted. Remove from heat.
- Pour ¼ cup taco sauce into the prepared casserole dish.
- Fill each pasta shell with 2 tbsp beef/cheese mixture and place the shells into the prepared dish on top of the sauce.
- Pour the remaining ½ cup taco sauce around and in-between the shells.
- Cover and bake 20 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and sprinkle with crushed corn chips. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.1 cup crushed corn chips
- Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and sliced green onions. Enjoy!garnishes: sour cream, cilantro, scallions or green onions
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to make these Mexican Stuffed Shells Step by Step
Get the oven going and prepare a baking dish: Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta: Cook 12 pasta shells al denté, drain, and rinse with cool water. Lay them open-side down, on a paper towel, to drain while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook the onion and jalapeño: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil, 1 onion, and 1 jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and the onion becomes fragrant. This usually takes me about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a paper towel to soak up any moisture.
Cook the beef: Add 1 lb. of ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon until it’s lightly browned. Drain any excess fat, leaving a small amount in the pan.
Add the seasonings: Stir in 2 tsp taco seasoning, 4 oz. cream cheese, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp cilantro, ¼ cup taco sauce, and ½ cup shredded cheese into the beef mixture.
Cook: Cook for 2-3 minutes, over medium-low heat, until the mixture is hot and the cheese has melted. Remove from heat.
Coat the pan: Pour ¼ cup taco sauce into the prepared casserole dish and spoon it around so it covers the whole bottom of the pan.
Fill the shells: Fill each pasta shell with 2 tbsp of beef/cheese mixture and then place the shells, open side up, into the prepared dish, on top of the taco sauce. Pour the remaining taco sauce around and in between the shells.
Bake: Cover and bake 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese and chips: Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and sprinkle with 1 cup of crushed corn chips. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and sliced green onions. Enjoy!
How to Store
These Mexican stuffed shells can be assembled up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them. Cover the pan and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready. Increase the bake time accordingly.
These shells are a great freezer meal. I like to make a double batch and freeze one of the pans. If you freeze a pan of shells, make sure to cover it tightly with foil. If you use an aluminum pan, you can bake directly from frozen; if you use a glass pan, let the shells defrost in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to eat, bake the shells directly from the freezer at 350°F for about 45 minutes with the foil, then remove it, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the shells are hot throughout.
Leftover shells will keep tightly covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. If you find they’ve dried out a bit, drizzle more taco sauce over them.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
These taco stuffed shells taste so good with traditional taco toppings, so I like to top them with more taco sauce, creamy guacamole, and a few dollops of pico de gallo.
I truly enjoy making the recipes you post, but I have a question. There are recipes that are posted that can be frozen, but that info is not with the recipe. Is there is way you could add that to your recipes print out page. I have to go in copy, paste and then print an additional page. We do a lot of camping and I try to freeze dishes to carry with us. Thanks so much in advance.
I will have to look into it!
Scrumptious.
Thank you!!
Can this recipe be frozen
Absolutely!!
When do I add the onion/ jalapeno mix back in?
Add them in step 5 with the other ingredients!
We LOVED it! Easy to make and really good
Thanks, Valerie!!
While I haven’t made this yet, I will for sure. Just a note on freezing shells. When freezing other types, I place them individually on a cookie sheet cookie, cover until frozen, then place the frozen shells in a container. I can heat as many as needed.