One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

by OnePotWonders
Prep: 10m
Cook: 25m
poultry
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Ingredients
Servings:8
1tbspcanola oil
2lbground turkey
1onion
32oztomato sauce
1cupwater
1cupsalsa
1oztaco seasoning
4cupelbow macaroni
2cupcheddar cheese
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Brown the turkey

    Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and the chopped onion. Cook 6-8 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles, until it's no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease so the sauce doesn't turn greasy later.

  1. 2

    Build the pot

    Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, water, salsa, and the taco seasoning envelope. Don't bother boiling the pasta separately — that's a whole extra pot to wash, and it cooks perfectly well right in the sauce.

  2. 3

    Simmer until tender

    Bring everything to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Cook uncovered 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks, until the macaroni is tender. If it looks dry before the pasta is done, splash in a little more water.

  3. 4

    Finish with cheese

    Kill the heat, scatter the shredded cheddar over the top, cover, and let it stand 3-5 minutes until melted. Stir it through and serve.

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One-Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta

Created by: OnePotWonders

Prep Time: 10m
Cook Time: 25m
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 lb ground turkey
  • 1 onion
  • 32 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 oz taco seasoning
  • 4 cup elbow macaroni
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Brown the turkeyHeat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and the chopped onion. Cook 6-8 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles, until it's no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease so the sauce doesn't turn greasy later.
  2. Build the potStir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, water, salsa, and the taco seasoning envelope. Don't bother boiling the pasta separately — that's a whole extra pot to wash, and it cooks perfectly well right in the sauce.
  3. Simmer until tenderBring everything to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Cook uncovered 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks, until the macaroni is tender. If it looks dry before the pasta is done, splash in a little more water.
  4. Finish with cheeseKill the heat, scatter the shredded cheddar over the top, cover, and let it stand 3-5 minutes until melted. Stir it through and serve.

Notes & Tips

This is the one-pot version of a slow-cooker classic, and honestly it's the way to make it on a weeknight — start to finish in about half an hour, one pot to wash. Ground turkey keeps it lighter, but ground beef works if that's what's in the fridge. Want it vegetarian? Swap the meat for a rinsed can of black beans. A spoonful of sour cream stirred in at the end makes it creamy, and taco toppings — diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, a few pickled onions — turn a plain bowl into something you'd actually be happy to serve company.