Taco pasta is a one pan meal that's made on the stove top in just 30 minutes. Bow tie pasta, black beans, and salsa are coated in a spicy cream sauce.
One pan meals are popular around here - homemade hamburger helper, chicken bacon ranch pasta, and ground beef stroganoff are all reader favorites. If you love skillet meals, you'll want to give this taco pasta a try too!
This one pot meal is filled with bow tie pasta, black beans, salsa, and fresh veggies. The entire family will love the creamy cheese sauce and it's easy to customize to suit your preferred spice level.
Make vegetarian taco pasta for your next Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday - this skillet meal will make a great addition to your weekly meal plans.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil - Can be substituted with your favorite cooking oil if desired.
- Pasta - Bow tie/farfalle pasta can be substituted with any medium sized dry pasta, like macaroni, penne, or shells.
- Canned black beans - Can be substituted with any beans you have on hand, like kidney beans or pinto beans.
- Vegetable broth - Can be substituted with beef or chicken broth if you aren't concerned with keeping the recipe vegetarian friendly.
- Bell pepper - I used green bell pepper, but any color bell pepper works for this recipe. For a little extra heat, substitute your bell pepper with a few jalapeno peppers.
- Onion - Adds flavor to the skillet meal.
- Taco seasoning - Can be homemade or store bought.
- Salsa - Adds flavor to the dish. I recommend using your favorite brand and heat level of salsa. I don't recommend omitting the salsa because it adds a significant amount of flavor to the dish.
- Milk - I recommend whole milk because the higher fat content helps prevent the sauce from breaking. Fats also enhance the flavor of the other ingredients and creates a creamier sauce.
- Sour cream - Adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor to the skillet meal.
- Cheese - I used sharp cheddar cheese, but pepper jack cheese or monterey jack cheese are great substitutions. I recommend grating your cheese fresh from a block for best flavor and texture. Pre-grated cheeses are often coated in anti-clumping powders that get grainy when melted.
Tips and tricks
Measure pasta and liquid accurately - The most important part about this recipe is measuring your pasta and liquid ingredients exactly. Because your pasta is cooked in the same pan as the rest of your ingredients, it is important to use the exact amount of liquid needed to cook that pasta. If too much liquid is added, you'll be left with a runny sauce. If too little liquid is added, your pasta and other ingredients will get dry, stick to the bottom of the pan, and potentially burn.
Ingredients sticking to the pan? - Turn the heat down and add a splash of water, your stove is a little too hot.
Sauce runny? - After cooking your skillet meal, remove it from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Your sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.
Use freshly grated cheese - Use cheese that's grated fresh from a block for best flavor and texture. Pre-grated cheeses are often coated in anti-clumping powders that add a grainy texture to your meal when melted.
Frequently asked questions
As written, this skillet turns out on the mild to medium side. To make your skillet spicier, add a bit more taco seasoning or use a salsa labeled as 'hot'. The bell pepper could also be substituted with jalapenos, poblanos, or hotter peppers if desired. To make your skillet milder, cut the taco seasoning in half and use a mild salsa.
Yes! To add ground meat like beef or turkey, crumble your ground meat into the saute pan over medium heat and cook until browned. Remove from the pan and continue with the recipe as written, adding the ground beef along with the pasta in step two. Shredded rotisserie chicken could also be tossed in during the last step along with the cheese.
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. You may want to add a splash of milk or heavy cream while reheating to thin the sauce.
Cooked pasta and cream sauces don't thaw well, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion onion, diced
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced
- 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces salsa
- 8 ounces bow tie pasta, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 16 ounces vegetable broth
- 8 ounces whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add onion and bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown around the edges.
- Add black beans, salsa, pasta, taco seasoning, vegetable broth, and milk to pan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer according to your pasta's package directions for al dente pasta (my bow tie pasta took 12 minutes). Once pasta is cooked through, most of liquid in pan should be absorbed.
- Add sour cream and shredded cheese to pan, stirring until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Any medium sized pasta can be used (macaroni, shells, or penne).
- Because the entire dish is cooked in a single pan, it is extremely important to use exact measurements for your liquids (broth and milk) and pasta. Recipe is written to include just enough liquid to cook pasta through without leaving excess liquid in the pan.
- Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Excellent recipe. I changed the cheese to a mixed Mexican cheese.( not a fan of cheddar…to cloying). I will definitely make again 10/10.
This recipe is delicious and I will definitely make it again. I had to make a small change and use soft cheese as I didn't have soured cream. I think you could use any bean of your liking too. So easy to make. I served it with ciabatta bread. YUM!