One Pot Beef Taco Pasta designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
Taco Night, Meet Pasta Night
A single skillet turns taco-seasoned beef, pasta, beans, and corn into a saucy, weeknight dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes with almost no cleanup.
This is the kind of recipe that answers the “What’s for dinner?” panic with something bold and comforting. Browned ground beef, a quick sauté of onion and bell pepper, and a hit of tomato paste and taco seasoning build a rich, savory base; short pasta cooks right in the spiced broth so every bite carries that taco flavor instead of sitting in a separate sauce.
Texture plays big here: tender pasta, meaty browned bits, creamy black beans and sweet corn give contrast in every forkful. Toasting the taco seasoning with the tomato paste for a minute concentrates the spices and deepens the sauce, and pushing the beef to the side to soften the veg keeps those flavors bright. If there’s excess fat, a tablespoon drained off keeps the sauce glossy, not greasy.
Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven so the pasta cooks evenly and the bottom doesn’t scorch; stir enough to prevent sticking but let the pasta have contact with the pan so it absorbs the flavorful liquid. Finish with shredded cheese, a squeeze of lime, or a handful of cilantro for freshness. Leftovers reheat nicely—just add a splash of broth or water if the sauce has tightened up.
Fast, flexible, and filling, this one-pot dish is perfect for busy weeknights or casual dinners with friends. Swap in ground turkey or a meatless crumble if you like, double it for a crowd, and expect minimal dishes and maximum satisfaction.
Ingredients
How to Make One Pot Beef Taco Pasta
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until mostly browned (4–6 minutes). Drain off and discard about 1 tablespoon of excess fat if there's a lot, leaving the browned bits.
- Push the beef to one side, add the chopped onion and diced bell pepper to the pan, and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened; add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato paste; cook 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the vegetables and beef.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes (with juices) and beef broth, then add the dry pasta, black beans, and corn. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring every 3–4 minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10–12 minutes (timing depends on pasta shape).
- Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar until melted and evenly distributed. Add lime juice, chopped cilantro, and taste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnish with extra cilantro or a squeeze of lime if desired.
Recipe Card
One Pot Beef Taco Pasta
One Pot Beef Taco Pasta designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until mostly browned (4–6 minutes). Drain off and discard about 1 tablespoon of excess fat if there's a lot, leaving the browned bits.
- Push the beef to one side, add the chopped onion and diced bell pepper to the pan, and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened; add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato paste; cook 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the vegetables and beef.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes (with juices) and beef broth, then add the dry pasta, black beans, and corn. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring every 3–4 minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10–12 minutes (timing depends on pasta shape).
- Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar until melted and evenly distributed. Add lime juice, chopped cilantro, and taste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnish with extra cilantro or a squeeze of lime if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 69
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 1060
- Fiber
- 6.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 20
- Protein
- 42
- Fat
- 35
- Cholesterol
- 105
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 760
- Sugar
- 8