Taco Pasta
Comforting, cozy, creamy, cheesy, Tex-Mex spiced pasta abundantly dotted with tomatoes, chilies and tender bits of beef. It's the ultimate weeknight family dinner!
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef*
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, then 1/4 cup more if needed
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 (4 oz) can can mild green chilies (undrained)
- 12 oz. fusilli pasta
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving if desired
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan (4 quart) or a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 4 minutes.
- Scoot onion to the side and crumble in beef into pan in small chunks, season lightly with salt.
- Let the beef cook until slightly browned on bottom about 2 to 3 minutes then break up beef, toss with onions and add garlic. Continue to cook while tossing and breaking up beef occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes longer (drain fat if you used a fattier ground beef).
- Add chili powder, cumin and paprika and cook 30 seconds, tossing occasionally.
- Pour in chicken broth, milk, tomatoes, and green chilies. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer then add pasta and stir (try to submerge pasta in liquid as much as possible).
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 6 minutes. Then stir and continue to cook until pasta is tender about 6 to 8 minutes longer. Stir again.
- Let rest off heat 1 minute for liquid to soak in, then toss in cheddar cheese and let melt. Thin with a little more chicken broth as needed.
- Garnish with cilantro or parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can use a fattier beef 80 to 90% just drain the fat after it has been browned.
- Recipe makes about 10 cups.