One Pot Southwestern Pasta
Love tacos? Well I do, so tacos in pasta form? Count me in! I love all these Tex-Mex flavors so I decided to combine them all to make this super simple One Pot Southwestern Pasta recipe that is ready in just 20 minutes, perfect for busy evenings! Seriously all you need is one large pan or pot to make this meal. This rich, cheesy taco pasta made with ground beef or turkey makes for an easy weeknight dinner that I bet the whole family will love! This recipe can also easily be made dairy free.
This One Pot Southwestern Pasta really is as simple as it gets. You can make it with your favorite brands of taco seasoning, shredded cheese & salsa, and as it takes only 20 minutes to make it is perfect for busy weeknights. If you love these flavors as much as I do, you have probably got everything you need to make this delicious pasta dish on hand! If not all you need is a quick trip to the store!
I can guarantee the whole fam will love this pasta dish, & it makes less of a mess with just one pan! I don’t know about you but I love any recipe that helps cut down on the washing up!
What you need to make this pasta:
- Pasta shells (I used chickpea pasta)
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Chunky salsa
- Taco seasoning
- Garlic cloves
- Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Beef broth
- Canned Corn
- Canned Black Beans
- Sea Salt
- Cilantro
- Red Pepper Flakes
How to make this one pot pasta:
- Start by sautéing minced garlic and onion with olive oil on a medium heat.
- Add the ground beef with 1 tbsp of the taco seasoning and sauté until browned.
- Add beef broth, pasta shells, salsa, corn and black beans. Add 1 tsp sea salt and remaining 2 tbsp of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.
- Turn heat down to simmer. You will want to continue to stir so the pasta does not stick to the bottom.
- Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked.
- Add the shredded cheese until it melts.
- Top with cilantro and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
How to store your leftovers:
It’s best to store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Be sure to let the pasta cool down before storing. I like using these containers for storing!
If you want to switch it up, try doing this instead:
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef
- Switch out the pasta shape for whatever you have on hand–just make sure it’s 8oz!
- Leave out the cheese to make it dairy free
FAQs:
Yes! Any shells that you like to use can be added in here. I love using chickpea pasta, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Different types and brands of pasta will cook at different speeds so you might need to add a little more water during the cooking.
Yes! Leave out the cheese and you will still have the delicious taste of this taco pasta. The starch in the pasta will help make the sauce creamy without added dairy if you need it to.
I’ve used a few different ones here but as long as it’s deep, you’ll be good! I like using this one from Caraway.
Yes! Ground turkey also works really well in this recipe.
No, I love leftovers! This can easily be reheated in the microwave but best if eaten within 1-2 days of making! Just make sure to cool it and store it in a sealed container in the fridge. I like these ones!
If you love this recipe, you may also enjoy these recipes on One Balanced Life for your menu:
- One Pot Sausage & Spinach Pasta
- Easy One Pot Pumpkin Pasta (No Cream!)
- Easy Tortellini Pesto Pasta with Vegetables
- Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta with Zucchini
- Turkey Marinana Spaghetti Squash
- Ground Beef Enchilada Soup
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One Pot Southwestern Pasta
This One Pot Southwestern Pasta is so easy to make, and so delicious! Think of it as a taco served as big bowl of pasta, with ground beef, black beans and corn - an easy dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 8oz package pasta shells (I used a chickpea pasta here)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chunky mild salsa
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup canned corn, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Start by sautéing minced garlic and onion with olive oil on a medium heat.
- Add the ground beef with 1 tbsp of the taco seasoning and sauté until browned.
- Add beef broth, pasta shells, salsa, corn and black beans. Add 1 tsp sea salt and remaining 2 tbsp of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.
- Turn heat down to simmer. You will want to continue to stir so the pasta does not stick to the bottom.
- Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked. Add the shredded cheese until it melts.
- Top with cilantro and red pepper flakes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This can easily be reheated in the microwave but best if eaten within 1-2 days of making!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 448Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 913mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 34g
How much pasta is used -an 8oz box?
Yes!
Can I use Banza macaroni? Sprouts was out of shells this trip
Yes, definitely!
Can you freeze it? Love this recipe but i always end up having to throw some away
In one set of directions (at top) you mention beef broth and in the detailed directions below you mention adding water to the dish, but there’s no mention of the beef broth. I assume you can substitute the 2.5 cups of water for the beef broth instead?
Hi Amy,
The recipe was recently updated to the 2.5 cups beef broth! Unfortunately, it looks like it didn’t save the updates which is why you see the water in the directions. It should be updated with all of the correct info now. So sorry for the confusion!