Description
Easy Slow Cooker Taco Pasta is a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal combining seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, and pasta, all cooked slowly to perfection and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe offers flexibility with options to add veggies or make it vegetarian.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
Liquids and Sauces
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup jarred salsa (mild)
- 2 ½ cups water or low sodium chicken broth (one 14.5 ounce can chicken broth plus water to make total 2 ½ cups)
Other Ingredients
- 15 ounce can corn, drained
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 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 beef to slow cooker.
- Add ingredients to slow cooker: Add the chopped bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, salsa, drained corn, taco seasoning, and broth or water to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on slow cooker: Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. There will be extra liquid at this point, which is fine as it will be absorbed by the pasta later.
- Add pasta: Stir in the uncooked pasta, pressing it down into the liquid. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Cooking time for pasta may vary by slow cooker, so adjust as needed.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Serve immediately. Optionally, top with sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and more shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator and reheat in microwave.
- For a lighter dish, substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Add more veggies such as chopped onion (sauté with beef), fresh spinach (stir in with pasta), or finely chopped carrot (add with tomatoes).
- Add beans like black beans or pinto beans (rinsed and drained) for extra protein and fiber.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting two cans of beans for the 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: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
