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healthy taco pasta

Healthy Taco Pasta

5 from 33 votes
Enjoy the best of both worlds with Healthy Taco Pasta. Perfect for when you can't decide, need something quick, or want a kid-friendly meal sure to fill bellies. Made with ground beef, select veggies, pasta, and more!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: dinner, gluten-free, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 478

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups dry pasta I used brown rice fusilli
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large white onion diced.
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 small red pepper diced.
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 oz can corn drained and rinsed
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes fire-roasted preferred
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 9x13 casserole dish.
  2. Cook your pasta according to package. Drain accordingly. Set aside.
  3. In a large pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add onion and pepper. 
  4. After a few minutes when onions and peppers begin to soften, add garlic.
  5. One minute later, add ground beef. Cook until no longer pink, then drain everything in fine mesh strainer.
  6. Add back to pan and turn on low heat.
  7. Add black beans, corn and taco seasoning. Stir to combine, then add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. 
  8. Let simmer for 5 minutes over low heat, then stir in cooked pasta.
  9. Pour into casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake in oven for 10 minutes at 350.
  10. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 23gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 968mgPotassium: 780mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1406IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 4mg

Notes

  • Use Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: The fire-roasted variety adds a subtle smoky depth to the sauce that regular tomatoes just can't match, and it's an easy swap that makes the whole dish taste more complex.
  • Simmer the Meat Mixture Before Adding the Pasta: After adding all the taco ingredients — beans, corn, seasoning, tomatoes, and sauce — let everything simmer together for 5 minutes before stirring in the cooked pasta. This extra time lets the flavors meld and deepen before the noodles join the party.
  • Broil for the Last Couple of Minutes: After baking for 10 minutes, switch the oven to broil for just 2–3 more minutes to get a beautifully charred, bubbly cheese topping.

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