Taco Tortellini: A Quick and Easy Dinner

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Taco Tortellini combines seasoned beef, enchilada sauce, cheese tortellini, and gooey cheese for a fast, flavorful 20-minute weeknight dinner.

A QUICK DINNER RECIPE

Taco Tortellini is the perfect fast dinner for those busy nights. It’s hearty, cheesy, and loaded with fantastic taco flavor. It heats up beautifully for your lunch the next day too! It’s quick to make, filling and a family pleaser for sure. You can easily adjust the spice level, swap ingredients for any picky people, and make a delicious dinner that you know everyone will enjoy!

A pot of Taco Tortellini with garnishes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What to serve with Taco Tortellini?

This is meant to be a whole meal, so I don’t think you have to go crazy with a bunch of different sides. I like a simple salad or a side of roasted corn or black beans to go with it.

Is this Tortellini spicy?

There is a little heat from the diced tomatoes. You can swap the fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) and just use plain diced tomatoes if you want to eliminate any spice at all from this dish..

Can I use different pasta?

Yes, you can use any frozen stuffed pasta. There is also dried cheese tortellini, which works well. Simply add it when you add the sauce, bring it to a simmer, and cook according to the package directions.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the beef and sauce the day before. When ready, bring it to a simmer and add the tortellini.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

Definitely! You can omit the ground beef or use a plant-based meat substitute. You can also add a cup of cooked lentils or black beans to the dish.

What else can I add to this dish?

You can add bell peppers, corn, or black beans to add even more flavor.

What’s the best way to store leftovers?

You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Leftovers can be kept in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, sometimes the texture of the tortellini may change when doing this.

A spoon getting a scoop of Taco Tortellini from the pot.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

ground beef– you could certainly switch this out for ground chicken or turkey.
yellow onion– don’t like onion? Leave it out.
tomato paste– The tomato paste gives that rich flavor. It can be skipped, but we like how it complements the enchilada sauce. I only use a tablespoon in this recipe so if you don’t have it on hand, don’t make a special trip to the store just to get it. This will still be delicious.
low-sodium taco seasoning– you can use whatever brand you enjoy, or some of your Homemade Taco Seasoning where you can control all the ingredients, sodium included. I went with the low sodium here but you don’t have to. The red enchilada sauce has salt in it and I was worried it could get too salty. The benefit of going with low sodium is you can always add salt if you feel it needs it (but you can’t take it out once it’s already in there).
red enchilada sauce– if you don’t want to use as much enchilada sauce, you can use 10 ounces of water instead of one of the cans of enchilada sauce. The sauce brings a lovely southwestern flavor to the dish. It’s rich and tangy, adding so much depth and taste.
fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles– (the brand name is called Rotel, I just picked up the Walmart version). You can use any diced tomatoes, but the diced tomatoes with green chilies has more flavor than you might expect, adding a delicious smoky, roasted taste with a little bit of heat. I only use 1/2 of a cup, but you can definitely add more to taste.
frozen cheese tortellini– Frozen tortellini is a little cheaper than the refrigerated kind and you do not need to thaw it first to make this.
shredded cheddar cheese– you can switch up the cheese here to change the flavors. Want more spice? Try using pepper jack cheese!

Ground beef, diced yellow onion, tomato paste, low-sodium taco seasoning, red enchilada sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, frozen cheese tortellini, shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh cilantro.

HOW TO MAKE TACO TORTELLINI:

In a skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble the ground beef and onion for about 6 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease and place back into the skillet. Stir in the tomato paste and taco seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, mixing well.

Ground beef and onion being cooked in a skillet, tomato paste and taco seasoning being added and the mixture simmering.

Add all the enchilada sauce and 1/4 cup diced tomatoes. If you like a lot more heat, you can add more of the fire roasted tomatoes to the dish and taste as you keep adding until you reach your desired heat level. Bring to a simmer.