Taco Pasta
Whenever I’m suffering from that acute strain of tiredness that leads me to believe that anything short of giving up coffee is more attainable than marching myself into the kitchen and cooking dinner, I make tacos or pasta. Why it took me so long to arrive at Taco Pasta—a creamy, cheesy, and nutritious mashup that combines the best of the two—I can’t say for certain, but I’m happy to be making up for lost time, especially since this healthy pasta recipe cooks in ONE PAN.
What I can say: a future sleep-deprived (or time-crunched or just plain hangry) me is certainly glad I now have this Taco Pasta recipe page to reference.
A cheesy blend of twirly pasta noodles, ground chicken, fresh veggies, and other taco-centric ingredients like spices, salsa, and black beans, this entire dinner cooks in the same skillet, including the noodles.
- Like pasta, it comes together quickly. Hustle and this recipe is ready in 30 minutes. It also reheats beautifully, meaning you can cook it tonight and enjoy the leftovers later in the week.
- Like tacos, it’s enduringly appealing and tailor-made for dolling up with all of your favorite fixings, like avocados, cilantro, and sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt, our preferred healthy swap).
- Like tacos AND pasta, it’s an easy meal that is met with 100% enthusiasm and 0% complaints.
Want to cook something easy, quick, and delicious that will earn the approval of every member of your household? This million dollar cheesy Taco Pasta is the recipe for you!
Taco Pasta—A Healthy One Pan Recipe for the (5) Stars
If you didn’t previously believe that tacos and pasta were meant to be together, I’m going to implore you to leave your skepticism aside.
In making what must be one of the most lowbrow renditions of fusion food ever created, I landed on a five-star home-cooked meal.
I would bet my last box of penne that this Taco Pasta won’t appear on an actual five-star menu anytime soon, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. It earned full marks from both the front and back of the house around here.
The front of the house diners (Ben and me) love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and appreciate how comforting, filling, and nutritious it is.
- The noodles are al dente, and the protein-rich black beans and chicken (my choice for the recipe, though you can certainly make this a beef taco pasta if you like) will leave you full and happy.
- The fresh vegetables and whole grains will leave you feeling good for treating yourself to a wholesome meal.
- Last, the addition of Mexican spices, tomatoes, and salsa makes this Taco Pasta taste well-rounded and intentional, not like a dinner cooked in a moment of tired desperation (even though that’s what it’s here for if you need it to be).
The back of the house (meaning the cooks and dishwashers) approve of this recipe too. It’s light on prep and leaves little dishwashing in its wake.
Recipe Adaptations
We love the recipe as written, but if you’d like to change it up, here are a few tips.
- Dairy Free Taco Pasta. Omit the cheese. To make sure the pasta is still creamy and satisfying without it, top the pasta with a generous serving of avocado or prepared guacamole.
- Beef Taco Pasta. Swap the ground chicken (or ground turkey) for lean ground beef.
- Vegetarian Taco Pasta. Omit the meat. Add one additional can of black beans, or try adding pinto beans for variety.
- Taco Pasta Penna. I used twirly pasta (rotini) for the recipe, but any “short” pasta will work well. Shells or rigatoni would work well too. To make the recipe more healthy, I recommend whole wheat pasta, as it is higher in protein and nutrients than regular white pasta.
- Extra Spicy Taco Pasta. Use a hot salsa. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne with the other spices.
- More Mild Taco Pasta. As written, this recipe is not particularly spicy, but if you are nervous, be sure to use a mild salsa. You can also scale back on the cumin and chili powder.
What is your go-to meal on busy nights? Might it be this healthy Taco Pasta next time? If you try the recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound 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 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 3/4 cups water — plus more as needed
- 1 cup prepared salsa — medium or mild
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta — such as rotini, fusilli, penne, or shells
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans — rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese — divided (use pepper jack for a kick!)
For serving:
- Sliced avocado
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Jalapeño
- Any taco topping you love
Instructions
In large, deep skillet with a lid (or a dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add the ground chicken, onion, and red and green bell peppers. Brown the meat, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is fully cooked through and the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook just until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the water, salsa, tomato sauce, pasta, and beans.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, then cover the pan. Let simmer gently, stirring occasionally, just until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed (more liquid will absorb as it cools), about 12 to 15 minutes. As you stir the pasta while it cooks, check to make sure it's not becoming dry. If it is, stir in water as needed to keep it moist and simmering.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in half of the cheese, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Serve hot with any of your favorite toppings.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 of 6) — Calories: 379, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Carbohydrates: 48g, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 7g, Protein: 23gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
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I can relate to your go-to’s of tacos and pasta haha! So this makes so much sense! I excited to try this!
I hope you love it, Trina!
Only change I made was to add one teaspoon of sugar (to taste at the end); that dash of sweetness is perfect!
Thanks for reporting back! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.
My husband and I tried similar recipe like this one
It was the first time we tried pasta in Mexican dish and we found we liked it. Can’t wait to try this one . Like you we have to have our Mexican fix at least once a week or sometime more .
Thank you and keep them comin.
I hope you love it, Jan!
I made this last night and it was very tasty! Just 4 stars instead of 5 since it seemed more like a chili with pasta added in. Next time I may increase the amount of pasta. It will definitely go into rotation.
Thanks for sharing your review, Kathryn! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
My mom and I share a love for pasta, and were both craving Mexican. We had to try this recipe! We made the beef variation, and it meet all our expectations, hearty, spicy, and it satisfied our Mexican craving! This is a very good recipe. Thanks, Erin!
Hooray! Thanks for giving it a try and reporting back, Anna!
Made this with a ground beef and pork mix, but otherwise followed exactly & it turned out delicious. The recipe says it serves 6 but clearly 6 generous portions . Will definitely make this again but maybe with hot salsa to amp up the spice level as we like it hot in our house. A great one pot meal!
Beverly, so happy you loved it thank you!!
Forgot to click the stars before and this is definitely 5 stars!
THANK YOU!!!
This was so tasty even though I messed up a bit! I made up the spice and salt mixture the day before, but used an entire whole pound (16oz box) of rotelli so that my boyfriend could take the extra to work for lunch. I quickly dumped in extra water and spices to try to compensate as well as replaced the meat with extra beans and pickled nopalito (cactus leaves) and we still loved it. Thank you for a super tasty and seemingly foolproof recipe!
Thanks for sharing your tweaks, Iliana! I’m glad it was still a success!
Tried this dinner tonight. Absolutely great
Love your recipes and I like that are healthy .
Thank you Erin.
Hooray! I’m glad it was a success. Thanks for reporting back, Jan!
We made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Even my picky parents enjoyed it and I have a hard time getting them to eat anything! We followed the recipe exactly with two exceptions: we used ground turkey instead of chicken and mozzarella instead of cheddar. Seriously one of the best meals we’ve ever made, and it was so easy!! Thank you so much for our new weeknight staple! :)
Kayla, I am so so pleased to hear this, thank you for sharing!
My whole family ( picky kids included) loved this Tasted even better the next day!
I’m so glad it was a hit with everyone! Thanks for reviewing the recipe!
I made this tonight, and my husband and I loved it. It’s easy to make, delicious and healthy. My husband said he liked the balance of flavors. Another winner we’ll be adding to the mix. Thanks, Erin!
Thank you for sharing, Nena! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit!
Thank you so much for giving me a recipe my incredibly picky daughter likes! I wrack my brain trying to find things she’ll eat. I added an extra cup of pasta but that was the only change I made. She even asked for leftovers the next day.
I’m SO happy your daughter enjoyed this recipe, Laura! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!