There is no such thing as a bad taco in our humble opinion. And before you go and judge Struck-Gold Tacos… you just wait. Because these guys, while a little odd and not what you normally find in your usual favorite Mexican handheld, are fun, adventurous, and just plain delicious! The base is made with, yep, you see that right, those are bouncy spaghetti noodles. And they’re topped with a savory ground beef and cheesy goodness that will make you a believer in this Italian Tex-Mex fusion. Serve these crunchy tortilla bites of yumminess with a side of fresh salsa and guacamole, and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s worth its weight in gold. See?! Now you get it. Go ahead and strike it rich with these Struck-Gold Tacos!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces spaghetti noodles, broken in half and uncooked
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 ounce mild taco seasoning
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
- 1 3/4 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded, divided
- 10 hard taco shells
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Cook the spaghetti to al dente according to the package directions. Drain.
Step 3 –In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, while crumbling it, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
Step 4 –Add the water and the taco seasoning to the pan and stir until all of the beef is coated in the seasoning.
Step 5 –Reduce the heat to low and add the tomato sauce to the pan and stir well to combine.
Step 6 –Add the cooked spaghetti and the diced tomatoes and green chiles to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
Step 7 –Transfer the pan from the heat and add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese to the pasta mixture and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Place the taco shells in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 9 –Scoop the spaghetti mixture into the taco shells and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Step 10 –Bake the tacos until the cheese on top has completely melted, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 11 –Serve.
