Easy Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
from kristineskitchenblog.comThis slow cooker taco pasta is one of my favorite family-friendly, make ahead dinner recipes! With ground beef, pasta shells, taco flavors and cheese, it's so comforting and satisfying. The best part is that it only takes 10 minutes to prep for the crockpot!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 364kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup jarred salsa I used mild
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning I use this easy recipe
- 2 ½ cups water or low sodium chicken broth I used one 14.5 ounce can chicken broth plus enough water to total 2 ½ cups
- 12 ounces shell pasta shapes (uncooked) whole wheat or white
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 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 the bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, salsa, corn, taco seasoning, and broth or water. Stir.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. (There will be lots of extra liquid. Don't worry, the liquid will be absorbed later when you add the pasta.)
- Stir in the pasta and press it all down into the liquid. Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Pasta cook time will vary by slow cooker. (If you did the initial cook time on the low setting, it will take longer for the crockpot to heat up to high, so the pasta will take longer to cook.)
- Stir in the cheddar cheese and serve. It's delicious with a spoonful of sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and more shredded cheddar.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave.
- For a lighter dish, substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- More veggies: You can add chopped onion (sauté it with the ground beef), chopped fresh spinach (stir it in with the pasta), and/or finely chopped carrot (add it with the tomatoes and be sure to chop it small so it gets tender).
- Add beans: You can add a can of black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained.
- Make it vegetarian: Substitute two cans of beans for the beef to make this meal vegetarian.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of recipe | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 966IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg
