My sister always whips out this incredibly cheap spiced dinner when feeding a big crowd on a dime. Just 4 ingredients create a hearty boldly flavored and zesty bowl of pure comfort.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient taco macaroni is the kind of cheap, filling, and boldly flavored dinner I pull out when I’ve got a house full of hungry kids and neighbors. It leans on pantry staples—ground beef, taco seasoning, pasta, and salsa—to make a big pot of zesty, cozy comfort without a lot of fuss or cost. Everything cooks together in the slow cooker so the macaroni soaks up that rich, spiced, reddish-brown sauce, and you end up with a hearty one-pot meal that feels like a hug in a bowl.

Serve big scoops of this taco macaroni straight from the slow cooker into bowls, and let everyone add their own toppings if you have them on hand—shredded cheese, a spoonful of sour cream, or some chopped green onions are all nice but totally optional. A simple side of canned corn, a green salad, or even tortilla chips for scooping will round out the meal. This dish holds well on the warm setting, so it’s perfect for potlucks, game nights, or feeding a crowd that wanders in at different times.

Servings: 8

2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the ground beef until it is fully browned and no pink remains, 7–10 minutes. Break it up into small pieces as it cooks so it mixes nicely with the pasta later. Drain off any excess grease.

Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker (5–6 quart works well) with a little oil or cooking spray to help prevent sticking.

Add the browned ground beef to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the beef and stir well until the meat is thoroughly coated with the seasoning.

Pour in the chunky salsa and stir again until the beef, seasoning, and salsa are fully combined into a thick, reddish-brown sauce.

Cover and cook this beef and salsa mixture on HIGH for 1–1 1/2 hours or on LOW for 2–3 hours. This step lets the flavors blend and the sauce deepen in color and taste.

About 30–40 minutes before you want to eat, stir in the dry elbow macaroni, making sure the pasta is fully coated and pushed down into the saucy beef mixture. If the pasta is not mostly submerged, gently press it down with a spoon until it is. (The pasta will cook in the moisture from the salsa and beef juices.)

Cover and cook on HIGH for 25–40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the macaroni is tender but not mushy. Slow cookers vary, so start checking at 20–25 minutes. Each time you stir, make sure the pasta is still tucked into the sauce so it cooks evenly and stays glossy.

Once the macaroni is cooked through and the sauce is thick, dark reddish-brown, and clinging to the beef and pasta, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Give everything a final stir, taste, and adjust with a pinch more taco seasoning if you like it extra bold.

Serve the taco macaroni straight from the slow cooker into bowls. If desired, set out optional toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, or chopped green onions, but remember the base recipe is ready and delicious as-is with just these four ingredients.

To keep this true to the 4-ingredient spirit, any extras should be optional and added at the table or swapped one-for-one. For a milder version for picky eaters, choose mild taco seasoning and mild salsa; you can set out hot sauce on the side for spice-lovers. If you like it extra zesty, use hot salsa and add an extra half packet of taco seasoning. To stretch the meal even further for a big crowd, you can stir in up to 1 more cup of dry macaroni, but be prepared to add a splash of water if the mixture seems too dry while it cooks. For a slightly creamier texture, stir in a handful of shredded cheese right before serving, just until melted. If you prefer ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, they both work fine—just brown them the same way and be aware the flavor will be a bit lighter, so you may want to use medium or hot salsa. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce. This is also a good make-ahead dish for busy nights: cook the beef and sauce mixture earlier in the day, then wait to add the pasta until about 30 minutes before dinner so it stays perfectly tender.