All the flavors of a taco in an easy one-pot pasta dish that the whole family will love. It takes less than 30 minutes to make! Garnish with your favorite taco toppings for a quick and family-friendly dinner option! Who doesn’t like that kind of dish which comes together in no time and that too in one pot with your favorite ingredients? We all love a one-pot meals right, especially during busy weeknights! Tacos are always a hit with both kids and adults. This recipe is a unique way to get your meal done with minimal work and with your favorite ingredients. The beauty of making taco pasta in the instant pot is everything cooks together in one pot – even the pasta gets cooked in the same pot. How cool is that!
So what is taco pasta?
It is a dish made with pasta of your choice, salsa, beans, some vegetables, and taco-inspired seasonings. It is the seasoning and salsa that gives the overall Mexican flavor and vibe to this dish. Taco Pasta is a combination of most of the families’ two favorite cuisines – Mexican and Italian! Combining these two in one ultimate dish is a great idea! It has everything you are looking for in a hearty main dish! It is filling, quick, and easy to make. Perfect for potlucks, gatherings, and any family occasion, this dish will surely be something to rave about! While Taco Pasta is delicious as is, it’s even tastier with some toppings. You can add as many toppings as you like to get that loaded taco experience but in pasta form. Whatever you like on regular tacos will go well with this dish. Below are our favorites:
ripe, thinly diced avocado (or guacamole)fresh diced cilantro and green onions greenssour creamsome tortilla chips.
Ingredients required to make this dish (Measurement is given in recipe card below)
Rotini pastaCanned black beans (Drain all the liquid from can)CornBell peppersJalapenosOnionGrated garlicSalsaSaltTaco seasoningOilCheeseWater
How to make Instant pot taco pasta? Step by step process –
Turn on the normal saute button of the instant pot. When the display screen says hot, add oil, garlic, onions, bell peppers, and corn. Saute for a minute. (Photo 1 to 4) Now add salt and taco seasoning. Mix everything well. (Photo 5) Add 1 cup water and deglaze the pot very well. Make sure there’s nothing stuck at the bottom. (Photo 6) Add remaining one cup of water, pasta and black beans. Do not stir but press slightly so that pasta is under the liquid. (Photo 7 ) Now add salsa. Spread the salsa little bit. BUT DONT STIR. (Photo 8) Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual/ pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position. (photo 9 and 10) Once cooking time is done, carefully quickly release all the pressure. (Photo 11) Open the pot and add in the grated cheese and close the pot with a glass lid or plate for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts. (Photo 12) Stir the melted cheese with the pasta. Top taco pasta with cilantro, avocado, sour cream and serve with tortilla chips. Yum! You can Pair Taco Pasta with a big salad like – Quinoa salad Southwest salad Balela Salad
Be careful when substituting different kinds of pasta. Cooking time and water ratio will depend on the type of pasta you use. Elbow macaroni, small pasta shells, and rotini cooks quickly so it works well in this taco pasta. However, if you use larger noodles, it may take a bit longer and may require more water/liquid to cook through.To make the recipe more healthy, use whole wheat pasta, as it is higher in protein and nutrients than regular white pasta. The cooking time and water ratio will change in this case.We like well-cooked pasta. If you like al-dente pasta, cook it for 3 minutes instead of minutes.Depending on the taco seasoning you use, you may need to adjust the seasoning at the end, so just give the dish a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I have used McCormick brand taco seasoning.You can also make this Cheesy Taco Pasta as cheesy as you’d like. If you want your pasta to be cheesy I suggest 1.5 cups of cheese instead of ⅕ cup.I added Colby jack cheese, you can also use a Mexican blend cheese mix or cheddar cheese.To make it Dairy Free omit the cheese.Use a hot salsa and more jalapenos to make it extra spicy. And to make it mild, skip the jalapenos.You can substitute salsa with diced tomatoes.
How to store:
This one-pot recipe stays fresh in the refrigerator for days. Cool it completely and store it in an airtight container. It Freezes well too. If you are planning to freeze it, don’t add cheese. Let the pasta cool down completely, store it in airtight freezer containers. It stays good for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat, take out from the freezer, let it come to room temperature, and warm it in the microwave or a pan. Add cheese before serving and mix.
If you are looking for some more one-pot Mexican recipes like this, then, check out my other recipes –
Enchilada Rice Mexican casserole Mexican rice Arroz Verde ★ Have you tried this recipe? We’ll love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate and leave your feedback in the comment box below. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Warm regards, Dhwani.