It only takes 25 minutes to bring this scrumptious Mexican Pasta Bake to the table. It's easy, tasty, and even kind of healthy. Perfect weeknight meal without the fuss.
Prep Time: 10 minutesmins
Cook Time: 20 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
12ozcorkscrew pasta, whole grain, or other pasta of your choice
Fresh cilantro, freshly chopped for garnish, or avocado slices
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F with rack on upper middle position. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil; cook pasta just to al dente only, taking care not to over cook. Drain immediately. Add drained pasta back to the empty pot and set aside (sprinkle with a bit of olive oil if needed to prevent sticking)
While pasta is cooking: In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 TB olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic, stirring 2 min. Add ground meat and cook to brown. Stir in taco seasoning, salsa, black beans, olives, and oregano. Cook 1 minute until mixture is heated through.
Add browned meat mixture to the pot of cooked/drained pasta, stirring to combine. Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Transfer to greased baking dish and evenly top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 10 minutes just until cheese melts. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and avocado. Serve immediately.
Notes
Feel free to substitute the corkscrew pasta with shells, rotini, fusilli, or elbow macaroni.
When cooking the pasta, make sure that it's just al dente, or firm to the bite. This prevents it from becoming losing texture baking.
Generously salting the pasta water makes a notable difference in flavor.
Be sure to drain your black beans and olives well before adding them to the meat mixture. Excess liquid can make your pasta dish too watery.
Don't skip the garnishes! Freshly chopped cilantro and avocado slices not only add a pop of color but also a fresh, vibrant flavor that compliments the rich, hearty ingredients in the pasta.
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