Taco Pasta
10 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
6
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¾ cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 cup prepared salsa (medium or mild)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cups uncooked whole wheat pasta (rotini, fusilli, penne, or shells)
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (or pepper jack for a kick)
For serving: sliced avocado, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, jalapeño, or any taco toppings you love.
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet with a lid (or a Dutch oven), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground meat, onion, and red and green bell peppers. Brown the meat, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully cooked and the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook just until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the water, salsa, tomato sauce, pasta, and black beans. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 12–15 minutes. If it looks dry, stir in a little more water as needed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.