Taco Pasta
First, boil your pasta. While the pasta is cooking, you make a rich sauce that starts with ground beef, onion, garlic, and taco seasoning. Yep, just store-bought taco seasoning! It gets bolstered by beef broth, sour cream, and two different kinds of cheeses. Sharp cheddar gives a hit of flavor and American cheese lends that unmistakable gooey texture. The pasta gets folded into the sauce and it’s all topped off with a little more cheese, sliced black olives, and a showering of chopped cilantro.
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives
- 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 4 ounces American cheese slices
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 pound dried medium pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, dice 1 small yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups) and mince 2 garlic cloves. Drain 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives. Finely chop the leaves and tender stems of 5 fresh cilantro sprigs (about 2 tablespoons). Tear 4 ounces American cheese slices into big pieces. Grate 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of the box grater (about 2 cups); set aside a small handful for garnish.
- Add 1 pound medium dried shells to the boiling water and cook and according to package directions until al dente, about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
- Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula into bite-sized pieces, for 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the beef is browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir until there is no more visible flour, about 30 seconds.
- Add 2 cups low-sodium beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Add the cheddar cheese, American cheese, and 1/2 cup sour cream, and stir until the cheeses are melted. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.
- When the pasta is ready, drain. Add to the sauce and stir to combine. Garnish with the reserved shredded cheddar cheese, olives, and cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Ground beef substitute: You can substitute the ground beef for almost any ground meat. Ground pork, chicken, or turkey would all be delicious.
Diced tomatoes substitute: The same amount of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies can be substituted for the regular diced tomatoes.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.