One Pot Taco Pasta

This recipe for one pot taco pasta not only combines two delicious meals (pasta and tacos) but it is also incredibly fast to make. With flavors like cumin and cilantro paired with pasta, corn and tomatoes, you can make this amazing weeknight meal in just one pan!

Tasty One Pot Taco Pasta

It is always fun to try new recipes but sometimes, you really crave the classics. This recipe is perfect for those times when you want something new that has classic flavors and is also easy to make. Traditional pasta is combined with the best parts of tacos to make a meal that everyone will love. Past lovers and taco lovers finally have a meal they can enjoy together! This recipe will be feeding everyone in your family in no time.

What is especially fantastic about this recipe is that everything can be made in one large saute pan. You do not need to worry about having excessive kitchen appliances or washing tons of dishes later on in the night. When you decided to make taco pasta, you know that you will have a tasty and easy night!

How to Make One Pot Pasta

Making one pot taco pasta is super easy. All you need is a few ingredients and to follow a few quick steps. Take a look at how quickly you can make this dish:

1. Bring a few cups water to a boil in a large pot or dutch oven.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, following the time specified on the box.
3. Drain the pasta and set aside then use the same large pot to cook the rest of the recipe (you can also opt to use a skillet instead but the pot will work, making this a true one pot meal!
4. Add the ground beef or the ground turkey to the pan and cook until browned. Chop the meat up as it cooks to make nice small pieces.
5. Add the onions, garlic, taco seasoning salt and pepper to the cooked meat, stir and cook for a few more minutes. If the mix is looking a little dry, you can add about a teaspoon olive oil to prevent the meat and veggies from sticking to the pan.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the pot and toss in to the taco mix.
8. Enjoy while hot!

It’s as easy as that! One dish to wash and you will have enough food to feed your whole family. You can probably see why this meal is a complete win but let us tell you more…

Amazing Taco Pasta

There are a few ways to customize this one pot dish and make it even better and more suited to your personal tastes. Here are some things we have tried that really made the pasta an extra special dish (if it wasn’t amazing enough already!).

• Add about 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese or shredded Mexican cheese blend to the pasta at the very end of the recipe. After you have mixed the pasta back into the pot, add the cheese and stir. Cheese is the perfect complement to pasta and also to tacos so cheesy taco pasta just makes sense! You can also just sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dish once it is already in the serving bowls.
• While our recipe suggests using ground turkey or ground beef, you can also use ground chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken in it’s place. If you replace the ground turkey or ground beef with shredded rotisserie chicken, you can reduce the cooking time on the meat, cutting back from 7 minutes to 2 minutes, just enough to heat the chicken in the pan. Not only will this taste great, but it will save you time!

• Use black beans in place of the kidney beans for a twist that sticks to the taco flavor profile. Black beans are also quite healthy and have been shown to help manage diabetes, maintain healthy bones and gives you a healthy dose of fiber. One can of black beans can be used in place of one can of pinto beans (be sure to drain and rinse the black beans just as you would the pinto beans).
• Mix in about 1/2 cup of sour cream to the pasta after everything is together in the pot. This will help make the pasta nice and creamy and add some more traditional taco taste.

Make this recipe to suit your personal preferences or give your family a little more of what they love. We have even heard some people crush taco shells over the top to give the pasta a nice crunchy taco taste! Whatever you love about tacos and pasta, give it a try with this recipe.

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning

If you plan on making one pot taco pasta often, you may want to consider making your own taco seasoning. It is actually very easy to make and lasts about a year when stored in an airtight container. Here is an easy, fast recipe for taco seasoning:

• 1 Tbsp ground chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Once all the ingredients are mixed together, use three tablespoons of the mix for this recipe or in any of your favorite taco recipes. Make it a little spicier by adding extra chili powder or make your customized seasoning blend mild by cutting back on the red pepper flakes. One thing that is great about making your own seasonings is that you can play with the ingredients to make it just the way you like it!

If you and your family love our recipe for one pot taco pasta, we know that you will find more great recipes on our website to enjoy. We specialize in easy, time saving dishes that are still full of flavor and will please everyone in your family. Search for a dish you have been wanting to make or just browse the recipes on our site, you are sure to find something you love!

One Pot Taco Pasta

• Author: Simple Green Moms
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Gluten Free

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Description

If you love one pot dinners, this flavorful taco pasta recipe is for you!

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Ingredients

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• 2 cups pasta of choice (we used gluten free)
• 1 pound organic ground beef, turkey or chicken
• 1 small red onion (finely chopped)
• 3 tablespoons (or cloves) minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1 (14.5 oz) can organic corn (drained and rinsed)
• 1 roma tomato (diced)
• 4 oz light cream cheese (cubed)
• freshly chopped cilantro
• sea salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until browned. Add onion, garlic, taco seasoning and salt + pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add beans, corn and diced green chiles. Stir to combine and let cook for about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add prepared pasta back into the pan along with diced tomatoes and cream cheese. Mix everything until evenly combined. Add additional seasonings and/or fresh cilantro as desired. Serve immediately.

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Notes

Pro Tips:

• Choose a pasta shape with shorter noodles. We have found that the smaller noodles like penne, small shells or rotini work the best with all the other small ingredients in the dish (the corn, tomatoes and beans, for example).
• Speed up the cooking time by using fresh pasta rather than dried pasta. Fresh pasta also adds a little extra uniqueness to this dish, making your one pot taco pasta even better!
• Pair the pasta with some homemade bread from your bread maker to make this meal complete. Cornbread or cheese cornbread are both great options as they reflects the taste of corn tortillas that are often served with tacos. You can also serve the recipe with a side salad (we have lots of great salad recipes on our site!) or just enjoy the easy meal on it’s own!

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