Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

Instant pot cheesy taco pasta is packed full of zesty taco flavor, ground beef, fun shell-shaped pasta, and topped with melted cheese! Make this Instant Pot pasta recipe tonight!

I love pasta night! It’s so versatile, fills you up, and is quick and easy to make! This recipe is fun because it takes a spin on taco night and makes it into a taco pasta night. Make sure you check out our recipes for instant pot taco meat and instant pot taco casserole, too!

A colorful plate topped with a big portion of instant pot cheesy taco pasta next to a bowl full of tortilla chips.
Cover images for three of Aileen Clark's Cookbooks with the words "order my cookbooks today!".

Two reasons to love cooking pasta in your instant pot

  1. Making pasta in the instant pot means you only dirty one pot – the pasta, sauce, and meat all cook in the same pot!
  2. The cook time for the pasta is cut in half. Sure, it still has to come to pressure – but you would be waiting for that water to boil anyway. It really does save a little bit of time and on busy nights, I will take any extra time I can get.
A close-up picture of a tortilla chip with a scoop instant pot cheesy taco pasta.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

(full recipe is below)

 

A bowl of tortilla chips next to a plate of instant pot taco pasta.

Variations of instant pot taco pasta

No cheese, no problem: If you are dairy-free, feel free to omit the cheese. This recipe for instant pot taco pasta is still packed with flavor without the cheese.

Meat options: This recipe can be adapted to use whatever you have on hand. Ground turkey will work perfectly because the taco seasoning does a great job of making either meat taste great. You can also substitute chicken. Simply dice the chicken up into small pieces and brown as you would the ground beef, just add a bit of oil to the pan first.

Meatless option: if you want to make this a meatless taco pasta, just saute the onion until translucent and only add enough broth to cover the pasta. The pressure cooking time stays the same.

You may also like: taco stuffed shellsinstant pot crack chicken pasta, or Instant Pot Roast Beef

If you’re looking for a healthier taco-inspired recipe, then check out these instant pot taco stuffed peppers.

A colorful plate topped with a big portion of instant pot cheesy taco pasta next to a bowl full of tortilla chips.
5 from 5 votes
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Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

Instant pot cheesy taco pasta is packed full of zesty taco flavor, ground beef, fun shell-shaped pasta, and topped with melted cheese!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword instant pot cheesy taco pasta
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 29 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 753 kcal
Author Aileen

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Set the Instant Pot to saute. 
  2. Pour in ground beef and chopped onion. 
  3. Cook, stirring occasionally until the beef is browned.
  4. Turn off your instant pot and drain the fat from the pot.
  5. Pour in the beef broth and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot. (Make sure there is no food stuck to the bottom of the pot or it will not pressurize.)
  6. Mix in the diced tomatoes, diced chilies, taco seasoning, and pasta.
  7. Close the lid and set to sealing. 
  8. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. 
  9. Quick Pressure Release (QPR).
  10. Remove the lid and mix in the cheese prior to serving the instant pot cheesy taco pasta.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 753 Calories from Fat 369
% Daily Value*
Fat 41g63%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 16g
Cholesterol 162mg54%
Sodium 1577mg69%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 52g104%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Taco night and pasta night are equal favorites in my book. This instant pot cheesy taco pasta recipe gives me the best of both worlds!