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One Pot Taco Pasta Recipe

Contributor: Ilona Orzechowska

This recipe calls for 12 ounces of dry pasta. If you have a one pound box of pasta instead and want to use it, you can. Increase the amount of beef stock to 4 cups and it will be lovely. You can add up to 1/2 cup of extra heavy cream too if you’d like, but it’s not necessary.

  • Author: Ilona Orzechowska
  • Prep Time: 8 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 Minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef stock
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 12 oz. dried rigatoni pasta
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 12 tortilla chips
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped green onion

Instructions

  1. Warm 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Stir and break up the meat.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes.
  4. Remove the meat from the pan. Drain off the fat and set it aside.
  5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot along with the onion and green bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables start to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Stir in the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, chili powder, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).
  7. Add beef stock, diced tomatoes, and heavy whipping cream. Heat to a simmer, stirring frequently.
  8. Stir in the pasta. Allow to reach a simmer again and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook, stirring often, until pasta is cooked to the desired doneness, about 13-15 minutes.
  9. Stir the cooked ground beef into the pasta mixture. Allow it to warm through for a minute while continuing to stir.
  10. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese until it has melted and incorporated into the sauce fully.
  11. Spoon into serving bowls. Crush two tortilla chips over each bowl of pasta and then garnish with sour cream, tomatoes, and green onions.