Taco Pasta Recipe (One Pot)
In a rush? This 30 minute one pot taco pasta with ground turkey and black beans is here to save the day! It's creamy, satisfying, and the pasta cooks in the same pan as everything else!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey (see note)
- ½ cup chopped onion (1 small onion)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (any color)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (see note)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk (see note)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (such as Rotel)
- 3 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini (or another short pasta)
- 1 can (15.25 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Optional garnishes:
- diced avocado, lettuce, tomato, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, or sour cream
Instructions
- In large sauté pan or skillet with a cover (a large saucepan or Dutch oven will also work), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, onion, and peppers and cook until turkey is browned and cooked through and onions are translucent, breaking up turkey as it cooks.1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 pound ground turkey, ½ cup chopped onion , 1 bell pepper, chopped
- Add tomato paste, flour, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Keep stirring until tomato paste coats all the meat, about 1 minute. Make sure to keep stirring so the tomato paste does not burn.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Add water, milk, and tomatoes. Stir well and bring to nearly a boil.2 cups water, 1 cup whole or 2% milk, 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- Add pasta, stir, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes (use pasta directions as a guide) or until al dente, stirring occasionally to make sure pasta gets cooked evenly.3 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini
- Reduce heat to low; stir in black beans and cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.1 can (15.25 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Serve immediately topped with any taco garnishes you love.
Video
Notes
- Meat alternatives: If you prefer, use ground beef, chicken, sausage, or chorizo instead of ground turkey.
- Milk: I recommend using whole or 2% milk because milk with lower fat percentage tends to curdle at a higher heat, which is necessary to cook the pasta. If you don’t have it, omit the milk and use 3 cups (total) water.
- Make it extra cheesy. Add another handful of shredded cheese, or stir two ounces (or more!) of full-fat cream cheese into the pasta mixture after the pasta has cooked. It melts better if the cream cheese is at room temperature. Add it by spoonfuls, rather than one big chunk.
- Seasoning shortcut: If you have taco seasoning in your pantry, substitute it for the seasonings listed in the recipe: chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. I suggest using 1½ to 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, based on taste. Try my homemade taco seasoning.
- Reduced sodium: Choose no-salt-added tomatoes, tomato paste, and black beans. They have far less sodium than regular canned products and you won't notice a difference in taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1665IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 4mg
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