Description
This taco pasta casserole combines seasoned ground beef, pasta, salsa, beans, and plenty of melted cheese for a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner. Easy, cheesy, and loaded with Tex-Mex flavor!
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 12 oz pasta (rotini, penne, or shells)
Ground Beef Mixture:
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade blend)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned, drained)
- 1 1/2 cups salsa (or enchilada sauce)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, divided
Optional Toppings:
- sour cream
- diced tomatoes
- cilantro
- jalapeños
- avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook ground beef and onion in a skillet until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in taco seasoning and water; simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Add beans, corn, salsa, and pasta. Mix well.
- Stir in 1 cup of cheese.
- Transfer mixture to baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until bubbly.
- Serve hot with toppings.
Notes
- Spice it up with jalapeños or a spicier salsa.
- Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta if preferred.
- Make-ahead friendly: assemble up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready.
- Freezes well: cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Casserole / Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop + Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex / American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: Approx. 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
