Description
A flavorful and easy slow cooker taco pasta recipe that combines ground beef, bell pepper, tomatoes, salsa, corn, and taco seasoning with tender shell pasta and melted cheddar cheese for a comforting and satisfying one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup jarred salsa (mild)
- 15 ounce can corn, drained
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 ½ cups water or low sodium chicken broth
- 12 ounces shell pasta shapes (uncooked), whole wheat or white
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling it and stirring often, until browned. Drain off excess grease. Transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker.
- Add Vegetables and Seasonings: Add the chopped bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, salsa, drained corn, taco seasoning, and broth or water to the slow cooker with the beef. Stir to combine.
- Slow Cook the Mixture: Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. There will be a lot of extra liquid at this stage; this is normal as the pasta will absorb it later.
- Add Pasta and Cook: Stir in the uncooked shell pasta, pressing it all down into the liquid. Cook on high for 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Note that pasta cooking time may vary depending on the slow cooker. If the initial cook was on low, it might take longer for the slow cooker to heat up to high, so cooking the pasta could take longer.
- Finish with Cheese: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and well combined. Serve hot, optionally topped with sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and extra shredded cheddar cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave.
- For a lighter dish, substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Add more veggies such as sautéed chopped onion with the beef, fresh spinach stirred in with the pasta, or finely chopped carrots added with the tomatoes.
- Include a can of black beans or pinto beans (rinsed and drained) for extra protein and fiber.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting two cans of beans for the ground beef.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
