One Pan Taco Pasta

I tried making this last Tuesday after work and honestly it’s one of those things where you just dump stuff in a pan and somehow it works. The One Pan Taco Pasta came together faster than I expected and I didn’t have to wash a million dishes which is really the whole point.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Everything cooks in one skillet so cleanup is basically nothing
• You get that taco flavor without folding a single tortilla or dealing with shells that crack
• The pasta soaks up all the seasoning and bean liquid so it’s not just plain noodles in sauce
• Takes 25 minutes start to finish and most of that is just waiting
• Ground beef pasta with actual texture because the beans and corn aren’t mushy
• The cheese melts from the heat that’s already there so you don’t need the broiler

The Story Behind This Recipe

I made this because I had a packet of taco seasoning in the pantry and I was too tired to make actual tacos. Also I had pasta and I figured if you can put meat sauce on noodles you can put taco stuff on them too.

I didn’t really plan it. I just started browning beef and kept adding things until it looked like dinner.

The weird part is it actually tasted like a taco pasta hybrid and not like I just gave up halfway through cooking two different meals. My roommate asked for it again on Friday so I guess it worked.

What You Need

You need 1 pound of ground beef and I just used whatever was on sale. 80/20 works fine because you’re draining it anyway and the fat adds flavor before it goes.

2 cloves of garlic get minced up. Fresh is better here because the jarred stuff gets weird when it hits the hot pan right after you drain the beef.

One packet of taco seasoning is the whole thing. I used Old El Paso but store brand does the same job and you’re adding so much other stuff it doesn’t really matter.

1 cup of salsa goes in and I grabbed medium because that’s what I had. Chunky or smooth both work since it all breaks down when the pasta cooks. 1 can of corn needs to be drained or you’ll have too much liquid sloshing around. 1 can of black beans stays undrained because that liquid has starch and salt and it helps thicken everything.

2 cups of beef broth is what makes this taco pasta actually cook. You need that much or the noodles won’t soften all the way through.

8 ounces of pasta is half a box. I used rotini because the spirals grab onto the meat and beans but penne or shells work too. Just don’t use spaghetti because long noodles are annoying to stir in a skillet. 1 cup of shredded cheese goes on at the end and I used a Mexican blend with the orange and white shreds mixed together.

How to Make One Pan Taco Pasta

Get your large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and drop in that 1 pound of ground beef. Don’t touch it for a minute so it actually browns instead of just steaming. Break it up with a wooden spoon once it starts sizzling and keep going until there’s no pink left and some of the edges are starting to get a little crispy and dark.

Drain off the grease into a can or a bowl lined with paper towels. Leave just a thin coating of fat in the pan because you need something for the garlic to cook in.

Put the skillet back on the burner but turn it down to medium now. Toss in those 2 cloves of minced garlic right away and stir them around for about one minute. You’ll smell it as soon as it’s ready and you don’t want it to brown because burnt garlic tastes bitter and weird.

Dump in the whole packet of taco seasoning, then add your 1 cup of salsa, the drained can of corn, the undrained can of black beans and 2 cups of beef broth all at once. Stir everything together until the seasoning isn’t clumped up anymore. Let it come to a simmer and you’ll see little bubbles popping up around the edges of the pan.

Add all 8 ounces of pasta and push it down so it’s mostly covered by the liquid. Some pieces will stick up at first and that’s fine. Put a lid on it and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat, but lift the lid every 3 or 4 minutes to stir or the bottom noodles will stick and burn. The pasta will soak up the broth and get fatter and the whole thing will look thicker and saucier. When you bite a piece of pasta it should have just a tiny bit of firmness left in the center but not be crunchy.

Take the skillet off the heat completely. Sprinkle that 1 cup of shredded cheese across the top in an even layer, put the lid back on and just walk away for 5 minutes. The cheese will melt from the heat that’s already trapped in there and you won’t get that weird oily separated cheese that happens when you keep cooking it. When you come back it’ll be all melted and stringy when you scoop it up.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t stir the pasta enough while it was cooking under the lid and a bunch of rotini stuck to the bottom of the pan and got kind of scorched. It didn’t ruin the whole thing but I had to scrape that section off and toss it because it tasted burnt.

Also I added the cheese while the burner was still on and it got greasy and split instead of staying creamy. Turning off the heat first makes a huge difference and I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before I messed it up.

One Pan Taco Pasta

By Emma

Prep:

5 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

25 min

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, undrained
• 2 cups beef broth
• 8 ounces pasta
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Method

1. 1 Begin by browning 1 pound ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet; listen for the sizzle and watch for the meat to turn fully browned with bits starting to crisp. Drain the excess grease until the skillet holds only a slick coating of fat.
2. 2 Return the skillet to medium heat with the beef; immediately add 2 cloves minced garlic. Stir constantly for about one minute as the garlic softens and becomes fragrant without browning.
3. 3 Sprinkle in one packet taco seasoning, pour in 1 cup salsa, add 1 can drained corn, 1 undrained can of black beans, and 2 cups beef broth. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a gentle simmer; you’ll see small bubbles form at the edges.
4. 4 Add 8 ounces of dry pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine so the pasta is submerged. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. Watch the pasta swell and become tender—the key is catching it right before it’s fully soft but not mushy.
5. 5 When the pasta is just tender, scatter 1 cup shredded cheese evenly across the top. Put the lid back on, turn off the heat, and let the skillet rest for about 5 minutes. This allows the cheese to melt gently from the residual heat, becoming gooey and stringy.
6. 6 Serve straight from the pan. If you want to build layers of flavor and texture, add chopped cilantro, sour cream dollops, extra salsa, or diced avocado on top.

Nutritional information

Calories

495

Protein

28g

Carbs

45g

Fat

22g

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Tips for the Best One Pan Taco Pasta

Don’t lift the lid too much while the pasta cooks but also don’t just ignore it completely. 3 or 4 stirs during those 15 to 20 minutes is the right balance or you’ll end up scraping burned noodles off the bottom like I did.

If your pasta looks dry halfway through cooking add a quarter cup of water or more broth. Different stove burners run hotter than others and sometimes the liquid evaporates faster than the noodles can absorb it.

Use a skillet that’s at least 12 inches wide so the pasta has room to spread out in a thin layer. When it’s all piled up in a small pan the bottom cooks way faster than the top and you get half-done noodles floating around.

Let the beef get some color on it before you start breaking it up with the spoon. If you stir it right away it just steams in its own juice and you lose that browned flavor that makes ground beef pasta taste like something instead of just soft meat bits.

The cheese will look like it’s not melting for the first 3 minutes after you turn off the heat and then suddenly it’ll collapse into itself and get stretchy. Don’t panic and turn the burner back on.

Serving Ideas

I put sour cream and sliced jalapeños on mine because the creaminess cuts through all that taco seasoning salt. Crushed tortilla chips on top right before you eat it adds crunch that this one pan meal doesn’t have otherwise.

Diced avocado or guacamole makes it feel less heavy somehow even though you’re adding more fat. I think it’s the cold temperature against the hot pasta that tricks your brain.

My roommate ate hers with a handful of shredded lettuce mixed in which sounds weird but it actually added a fresh crispness and made the whole thing feel less like you just ate a pound of carbs.

Variations

You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey but add an extra tablespoon of oil when you brown it or it’ll stick and dry out because turkey doesn’t have enough fat. It works but it tastes lighter and less satisfying.

Using pinto beans instead of black beans doesn’t change much except the color looks more brown and the texture is a little softer. I’ve done it when that’s what I had and nobody noticed.

If you want it spicy dump in a diced jalapeño with the garlic or use hot salsa instead of medium. The spice gets muted by all the pasta and cheese so you need more heat than you think.

Chicken broth instead of beef broth makes this taste less deep and kind of flat. It’s not bad but the beef broth adds a richness that makes the whole taco pasta thing hold together flavor-wise.

FAQ

Can I use a different shape of pasta? Yeah penne, shells, or bow ties all work fine. Just avoid spaghetti or any long noodles because they’re a pain to stir in a skillet and they clump together. Stick with short shapes that can move around easily.

Do I really need to drain the corn but not the beans? Yes because corn liquid is just water and it’ll make everything too soupy. The bean liquid has starch that thickens the sauce and salt that adds flavor so you actually want it in there.

Can I make this ahead of time? You can but the pasta soaks up more liquid as it sits so it gets drier and thicker. If you’re reheating it the next day add a splash of broth or water and stir it on the stove until it loosens up again.

What if I don’t have taco seasoning? Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, half a teaspoon garlic powder, half a teaspoon onion powder and a pinch of cayenne. It’s close enough and you probably have all that stuff anyway.

How do I know when the pasta is done? Fish out a piece and bite it. It should be soft enough to chew easily but still have a tiny bit of resistance in the very center. If it’s crunchy keep cooking and if it’s mushy you waited too long.

Can I use fresh garlic from a jar? I guess but it won’t taste as sharp and it might get slimy when it hits the hot pan. Fresh garlic that you mince yourself just works better here and it’s only 2 cloves so it’s not a huge effort.

Why did my cheese get oily and separated? You left the heat on when you added it. Cheese needs gentle heat to melt smoothly and if it keeps cooking on a hot burner the fat separates out and it looks greasy and broken.

Can I double this recipe? Not really in one pan because you’d need a massive skillet to fit a pound of pasta and all that liquid. Make two batches or use a big pot instead but then it’s not a one pan meal anymore.

What kind of salsa should I use? Medium chunky salsa is what I used but smooth works too. Just don’t use salsa verde because the flavor’s completely different and it’ll taste more like chicken enchiladas than taco pasta.

How long does this last in the fridge? 3 or 4 days in a sealed container. The pasta keeps absorbing liquid so it gets thicker and you’ll need to add some broth when you reheat it or it’ll be dry and clumpy.

Can I freeze this? Yeah but the pasta texture gets a little softer and mushier after you thaw and reheat it. It’s still edible but it’s definitely better fresh or just refrigerated for a few days.

What if I don’t have a lid for my skillet? Use a baking sheet or a large plate to cover it. You just need something to trap the steam so the pasta cooks through instead of the liquid evaporating into the air.

Do I need to use 80/20 ground beef or can I use something leaner? You can use 90/10 or even 93/7 but you might want to leave a little more fat in the pan after draining because lean beef doesn’t add as much flavor. 80/20 is honestly easier because you don’t have to think about it.

My pasta is sticking to the bottom even when I stir it. What’s wrong? Your heat’s too high or you’re not stirring often enough. Turn it down to medium-low and stir every 2 or 3 minutes instead of waiting longer.

Can I add more vegetables? Sure, diced bell peppers or zucchini would work if you throw them in when you add the garlic. Just cut them small so they cook in the same amount of time as everything else.

What type of cheese melts best? Mexican blend or cheddar both melt fine. Pre-shredded is easier but if you grate a block yourself it melts smoother because pre-shredded has that anti-caking powder on it.

Is there a way to make this less salty? Use low-sodium broth and either skip the taco seasoning packet or make your own without salt. The beans and salsa both have salt too so it adds up fast.

Can I cook this on low heat to make it take longer? I mean you can but I don’t know why you’d want to. Low heat means the liquid takes forever to simmer and the pasta will just sit there getting soggy before it actually cooks through properly.