Tacos are, without a doubt, one of my favorite things to make and eat. But if you've ever handed a taco to a young toddler you will almost undoubtedly find the result...frustrating. For both you and the toddler! Thus, this taco pasta recipe was born. Rather than make something completely different for my littles, I boiled up some pasta, threw in some taco meat and sour cream and the result was delish. So delish in fact that my husband has since requested I make taco pasta as a stand alone dish even when we're not having tacos!
This recipe is ridiculously simple and you can really sneak the veggies in for the kiddos (and yourself). It's also pretty fool proof so if you prefer ground beef to ground turkey or another ground meat, go for it! You can also exchange different veggies and I often make version of this using whatever vegetables I have sitting in my crisper. Personally I like the substitution of Banza chickpea pasta for regular pasta for the added protein and fiber. If you do use chickpea pasta however, make sure that you cook it for about a minute less than the instructions tell you and then give it a good rinse of cold rather afterwards. The pasta will be reheated when you add it with the sauce and I find this helps some of the potential texture issues. If you like a creamier pasta you can also feel free to add a tbsp or 2 of cream cheese to the mix and of course top with any of your favorite taco toppings.
This is sure to be a meal the whole family will love and I hope yours enjoys it as much as mine does. 🙂
Recipe
Turkey Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz) short pasta (penne, rotini, macaroni, etc.) Any pasta will work but I recommend Banza chickpea pasta for the additional protein and fiber content.
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground meat of your choice
- 4-5 tbsp taco seasoning This is about 1.5 packets of 1 oz taco seasoning or you can use any taco seasoning you prefer.
- 2 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes Regular diced tomatoes will also work.
- 2 (15 oz) can corn (drained)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt & pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- shredded cheese optional
- chopped green onions optional
- sour cream optional
- cilantro optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and then put back into the pot. Set aside. *Note* If using Banza chickpea pasta I recommend cooking for about a minute less than the box instructs and then rinsing thoroughly with cool water. The pasta will be reheated when you mix it into the sauce. If using regular wheat pasta no need to rinse!
- Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add in chopped bell pepper and onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add in ground turkey and cook over medium high heat for another 3-5 minutes until turkey is cooked through. Use a spatula to break up the turkey into small pieces as it cook.
- Add in taco seasoning and mix thoroughly to combine. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Pour in 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of drained corn and ¼th cup water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to low. Continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour turkey mixture into the pot with the cooked pasta. Add in ½ cup sour cream and mix to combine.
- Taste the pasta and add any additional salt & pepper to preference
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply