Looking for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner that combines the best of both worlds? Our Beef Taco Pasta is the perfect blend of savory beef, zesty taco spices, and creamy pasta goodness. This crowd-pleasing dish is quick to prepare and sure to satisfy your cravings for something hearty and flavorful. Join us as we dive into this irresistible recipe that will become a new family favorite!
Beef Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz pasta shells uncooked
- 1 lb. ground beef I used 90 % lean
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 oz. taco seasoning Used I pack 45% less sodium Taco seasoning by Ortega
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 1 cup tomato sauce pureed
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 cups pasta water
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. black pepper
- salt optional
Instructions
1Cook pasta al dente and save the pasta water.
2Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.
3In a skillet, heat some vegetable oil and sauté the onions until they are tender then add in the ground beef. Add the black pepper, minced garlic and taco seasoning. Cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
4Add in the pasta water, tomato pure sauce and the salsa. Let it simmer on low heat to cook well for 8-10 minutes.
5Add in the cooked pasta and mix to coat well. Cover to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the cheese and stir another time then cover and cook for another 2 minutes to melt the cheese. You can check if you need more salt at this point.
6Remove and let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you don’t want to use beef, you can easily swap for ground chicken or turkey.
- Make sure to use a big nonstick skillet. With all the pasta, it won’t cook properly in a small pan.
- You can always add in some diced jalapeños or cayenne pepper to the recipe to spice it up.
- You can swap whole wheat pasta if you wish, just adjust the cooking time of the pasta accordingly.
- I used pasta shells for this recipe, they’re like little tacos! But you can use other pasta. I’d opt for pasta with nooks and crannies, like fussilli or penne, so it can catch all that delicious sauce!
