🌮 Taco Pasta Bowl
(All the happy taco vibes… in a pasta bowl.)
⏱️ Ready in: 30–35 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4–6
👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy & fun
🛒 Ingredients:
Pasta Base:
- 🍝 12 oz rotini pasta (or your favorite short pasta)
- 💧 Salted water, for boiling
Taco Beef:
- 🥩 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken)
- 🧅 ½ onion, finely chopped
- 🧄 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 🌮 2 tbsp taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade – see below)
- 🥫 ½ cup tomato sauce or salsa
- 🧂 Salt & pepper, to taste
Toppings & Mix-ins:
- 🌽 1 cup corn (frozen, fresh, or canned – drained)
- 🧀 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 🥬 1½ cups shredded lettuce
- 🍅 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
- 🥑 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- 🌶️ Pickled jalapeños (optional)
- 🥣 ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 🍋 Lime wedges, for serving
Crunchy Topping:
- 🌯 1 cup tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
🌮 Homemade Taco Seasoning (optional):
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp oregano
- Salt & pepper to taste
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Cook the Pasta:
- Bring salted water to a boil.
- Cook rotini according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain and set aside. (Toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.)
2. Cook the Taco Beef:
- In a skillet over medium heat, add a little oil and sauté the onion for 2–3 minutes.
- Add garlic, then ground beef. Cook until browned and crumbled.
- Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in taco seasoning and tomato sauce/salsa. Simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
3. Assemble the Bowl:
- In a large mixing bowl or directly on serving plates:
- Add a base of pasta.
- Top with a scoop of taco beef.
- Sprinkle on corn, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, etc.
- Dollop with sour cream, and finish with a handful of crunchy tortilla strips.
4. Final Touch:
- Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top.
- Optional: drizzle with hot sauce or a creamy chipotle dressing for extra kick.
