Taco Pasta Bake
This Taco Pasta has all the delicious Tex Mex flavors you love. Easy weeknight meal the whole family will devour.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta, shells, dry
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef , 93% lean
- 1.25 ounce taco seasoning
- 32 oz salsa, your favorite brand
- 1 whole green pepper, chopped and seeded
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded, divided
- ⅔ cup sour cream, regular or light
- Optional Garnishes: chopped cilantro or scallions, diced avocado, chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower-middle position. Cook pasta in salted water to al dente only. Drain - do not rinse. Transfer drained pasta back to the empty pot and set aside.
- While pasta cooks: Heat oil in a large heavy skillet. Brown ground meat over medium heat. Stir in taco seasoning, salsa, green pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Stir and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, add 1.5 cups of cheese and sour cream to the pasta in pot and mix well. Mix in the meat mixture. Use rubber spatula to transfer pasta into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Bake uncovered 350F for 30 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water to al dente only. This means the pasta will still have a slight firmness to it, and it's important because it will continue cooking when it's baked in the oven later.
- You can use either ground beef or ground turkey for this Taco Pasta recipe. Both are great options, but ground turkey is a leaner choice if you're looking to cut down on fat.
- When browning your ground beef or turkey, make sure to break it up into small pieces. This allows the meat to cook evenly and also makes it easier to distribute throughout the dish.
- After cooking the pasta, remember not to rinse it. Rinsing the pasta removes the starch, which helps the sauce to stick to the pasta.
- We love this homemade taco seasoning.
- Feel free to substitute bell pepper with sweet corn kernels or diced tomatoes.
- If you're a fan of meal prepping, this taco pasta is a great candidate for it. It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to bake. We recommend storing it in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1180mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1067IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 2mg