This Taco Pasta Recipe made with beef is loaded with protein and deliciousness! This cheesy one pot pasta recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and uses easy pantry ingredients like Rotel and taco seasoning. The chickpea shells is my secret high protein ingredient, 22 grams per serving!
I’ll be to be honest, this easy dinner was a surprise win! As I was preparing meals ahead of time for a trip out of town, I was in need of one more dish my family could have for dinner. I found some ground beef in the freezer and taco seasoning, Rotel, and chickpea shells in the pantry and in just 20 minutes this taco pasta was created.
This one-pot meal is definitely worth trying-it's truly so easy to customize to your liking. You can switch up the protein for rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or ground turkey or chicken. You can also get creative with the spices and types of beans you choose. Bonus, it heats up super well as leftovers for lunch!
This cheesy taco pasta is now on our weekly meal rotation and hopefully it becomes your favorite too. I love a great comforting dinner that comes together quickly. If you do too, then you should try my sausage and pepper pasta, brown butter sage pasta, and Philly Cheesesteak pasta.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- 20 Minute Meal: It takes less than 20 minutes to make it from start to finish making it a great option for busy weeknights.
- Uses Pantry Ingredients: You can make this easy taco pasta recipe from simple ingredients that you can keep stocked in your kitchen.
- One-Pot Taco Pasta Recipe: It’s made in 1 large pot, so easy cleanup!
- Affordable: The easy recipe costs less than $20 (*where I live).
- Healthy High Protein Dinner: It’s a hearty meal low in calories and loaded with protein and fiber!
Pro Tip: Feel free to switch up the protein in this pasta, use ground chicken or turkey. Omit the meat for a high protein vegetarian recipe!
One Pot Taco Pasta Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Canned Beans: Contribute protein and fiber, adding texture and substance to the dish.
- Rotel (canned tomatoes and green chilies): Adds moisture, acidity, and a tomato flavor to the pasta.
- Broth: Contributes to the consistency of the soup, adds a medium for cooking the pasta, and adds flavor. Beef broth, chicken broth, and vegetable broth all work great!
- Taco Seasoning: Made with your own homemade taco seasoning or pre-packaged, this blend of spices contribute to the overall savoriness and delicious flavors of tacos.
- Frozen Fajita Veggies: Adds texture, volume, and their natural sweetness complement the savory seasonings of the pasta.
- Chickpea Pasta Shells: Serves as the base and provides a hearty and filling component to the dish.
- Optional:
- Cooked Protein: Provides protein and a savory flavor, mimicking the traditional taco filling. We love lean ground beef. Ground chicken, ground turkey, rotisserie chicken, grilled meats, shrimp are also delicious!
- Toppings: Sour Cream, Cheese, Cilantro, Lime, Avocado, Tortilla Strips
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Taco Pasta Recipe
- Combine the beans, Rotel, broth, taco seasoning, fajita veggies, and chickpea shells in a medium skillet or pot.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stirring occasionally, cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8-12 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on pasta brand and variety chosen.
- Once the pasta is cooked through, if desired, fold in a cooked protein. Ladle and garnish with your favorite toppings.
Pro Tips and Substitutions
- Switch up the protein: Try using ground chicken or turkey, or even shredded rotisserie chicken for a different flavor.
- Make homemade taco seasoning: If you prefer a homemade taco seasoning, here is a substitute: 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tbsp cumin, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper.
- Vegetarian Taco Pasta: Omit the beef, use vegetable stock as well, and add extra veggies like mushrooms and corn.
- Bean Options: Any cooked bean works great in this beef taco pasta. You can use a can of black beans, pinto beans, charro beans, white beans, or even chickpeas.
- Use high protein noodles: This is my secret trick in this recipe. I use chickpea noodles which adds an additional 10g of protein to each serving and no one knows!
- Pasta Options: Any small pasta can work in this dish: shell pasta, corkscrew, mini rigatoni or corkscrew. Plant-based, edamame, gluten-free, or regular pasta work. Adjust the cook time per package directions for tender pasta (al dente).
The taco pasta is delicious by itself, but adding your favorite taco toppings gives taco night more pizzazz and one the whole family will be asking for again! Some options include (but not limited to):
- Sour Cream
- Cheese: shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack cheese
- Cotija Crumbles
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Tortilla Strips
- Diced Avocado
- Avocado Crema
- Fresh Corn Salsa
Storage and Freezing
For the Refrigerator: It's best to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
For the Freezer: I don't recommend freezing the pasta once the noodles have been added since it changes the texture. It's great to make the sauce ahead of time to freeze, then once you reheat the sauce add the noodles and cook to serve.
To Reheat: If frozen, thaw the pasta or sauce overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat until simmering and warm. If just refrigerated, heat in a pot for a couple of minutes over medium-low heat until warm or microwave for 2 minutes.
Make Ahead: This easy pasta dish is great to make ahead, make the sauce by itself without any noodles. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce and add the noodles to cook everything together fresh. Serve hot.
FAQ
You can substitute any pasta for the chickpea shells. Regular, edamame, gluten-free, and other vegetable-based pasta can work. Here’s a quick nutrient comparison of regular shells versus chickpea shells: 2oz Regular Shells: 200 calories, 1g fat, 42g carbs, 3g fiber, 7g protein
2oz Chickpea Shells: 190 calories, 3g fat, 35g carbs, 5g fiber, 11g protein
If the pasta you choose soaks up more liquid than desired OR if you’d like more of a soup-like texture or thinner consistency, add more broth at the end.
If you’d like to opt for a meat-free version, simply omit the ground beef and use vegetable broth.
As noted previously, the cooked ground beef can be substituted with cooked ground turkey or chicken, rotisserie chicken, or drained and flaked canned chicken
I used a reduced-sodium taco seasoning, but a regular or homemade blend works just as well. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Charro beans are just pinto beans stewed with onion, garlic, seasonings, and bacon. Pinto, black, or cannellini, any variety of beans you’d like will work.
I love hearty ground beef in the taco pasta, but you can use chicken, pork, or turkey. Cooked ground meat is great but also shredded chicken works well too. If you are vegetarian, you can add mushrooms or meatless-protein options.
Switch out the noodles! This is a secret trick I use with my family, using chickpea noodles adds easy protein and no one will notice.
More Recipes Like This
- Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Soup
- Quick and Easy Chicken Soup
- Soup Beans
- Loaded Vegetable Soup
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Taco Pasta Recipe (One Pot, High Protein)
Ingredients
- 15.5 ounce can beans charro, black, pinto, cannellini
- 10 ounce can Mexican Style Lime and Cilantro Rotel or regular Rotel
- 2 cups broth beef, chicken or vegetable
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning regular or low-sodium
- 12 ounce bag frozen fajita vegetable blend
- 8 ounces chickpea pasta shells
- 1 pound cooked ground beef
- Optional Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar or a Mexican cheese blend, tortilla chips, cilantro, lime, avocado
Instructions
- In a large skillet on medium-high heat, combine beans, Rotel, broth, taco seasoning, fajita veggies and pasta.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stirring occasionally, cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8-12 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on pasta brand and variety chosen.
- Once the pasta is cooked, If desired, fold in a cooked protein. Serve with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
-
- Switch up the protein: Try using ground chicken or turkey, or even shredded rotisserie chicken for a different flavor.
-
- Make homemade taco seasoning: If you prefer a homemade taco seasoning, here is a substitute: 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tbsp cumin, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper.
-
- Vegetarian Taco Pasta: Omit the beef, use vegetable stock as well, and add extra veggies like mushrooms and corn.
-
- Bean Options: Any cooked bean works great in this beef taco pasta. You can use a can of black beans, pinto beans, charro beans, white beans, or even chickpeas.
-
- Use high protein noodles: This is my secret trick in this recipe. I use chickpea noodles which adds an additional 10g of protein to each serving and no one knows!
-
- Pasta Options: Any small pasta can work in this dish: shell pasta, corkscrew, mini rigatoni or corkscrew. Plant-based, edamame, gluten-free, or regular pasta work. Adjust the cook time per package directions for tender pasta (al dente).
Carrie
This is so good! Fast, easy, and tasty too!
Laura Ashley
YAY!!! I'm so happy you made it and it was such a hit!! THANK YOU for sharing this too!
Crystal
If you choose to use sour cream, substitute with plain greek yogurt for even more protein. Couldn't tell the difference in taste! Yummy!
Laura Ashley
That's a great idea!! I'm so happy you liked it!! 🙂