Description
Delicious Mexican-inspired Taco Pasta blends zesty spices with creamy cheese for an irresistible dinner sensation. Comfort meets excitement in this simple one-pot meal that brings family and friends together around a steaming, flavor-packed dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
Pasta and Sauce:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) pasta
- 1 (14 ounces/396 grams) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) jar salsa
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (1 ounce/28 grams) packet taco seasoning
Cheese and Toppings:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado, jalapeños, extra cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a spacious skillet over medium temperature and crumble ground beef, allowing it to brown thoroughly while breaking into small fragments.
- Incorporate finely chopped onions and minced garlic, sautéing until translucent and fragrant.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning across the meat mixture, then introduce diced tomatoes and beef broth, elevating heat to create a gentle bubbling simmer.
- Carefully fold uncooked pasta into the simmering liquid, ensuring complete submersion; cover and cook for approximately 12-15 minutes, intermittently stirring to prevent sticking.
- When pasta reaches perfect tenderness, lower flame and gradually blend shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring until smoothly melted and integrated.
- Transfer skillet contents to serving dishes, garnishing with optional embellishments like tangy sour cream, zesty salsa, or creamy sliced avocado for enhanced flavor complexity.
Notes
- For a leaner version, swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken to reduce fat content.
- Create a vegetarian twist by replacing meat with black beans or plant-based crumbles for protein-packed alternative.
- Spice lovers can increase heat by adding diced jalapeños or using hot taco seasoning blend during cooking.
- Make this dish gluten-free by selecting gluten-free pasta and verifying taco seasoning ingredients are wheat-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg