Cheesy, hearty, and absolutely delicious, this Taco Pasta Recipe combines the flavors of Mexican and Italian classics into one tasty meal in just 30 minutes.
Plug in the Instant Pot and select Saute. When hot, add oil, crushed garlic, chopped onions, peppers, and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the stock followed by pasta. Gently press down the paste with a wooden spoon to completely submerge it. Pour the salsa evenly over the pasta. Don't stir.
Top that with frozen corn and drained beans. Sprinkle taco seasoning and gently spread it over the corn and beans.
Close the lid and set the valve to sealing position. Pressure cook for 3 mins. For time variation for different pasta shapes, read the content above.
After the cooking time is up, carefully release pressure manually (QR). Open the lid once the pin drops.
Stir in shredded cheese and mix it well. Garnish with chopped spring onions, chopped cilantro, avocado chunks, and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy!
Stovetop Recipe
Heat oil in a pasta pot on medium-high heat. Saute crushed garlic, chopped onions, peppers for 30 seconds.
Add 3 cups stock for 2 cups of elbow pasta and bring it to a boil. Then, add, pasta, frozen corn, drained beans and taco seasoning. Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for the suggested time on the pasta box, or till pasta cooks through.
Stir in shredded cheese and mix it well. Garnish with chopped spring onions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy hot!
Video
Notes
Pasta shapes: If you want to use another shape of pasta, refer to the pasta cooking time chart in this article: Instant Pot Pasta.
Instant Pot cooking tip: After adding salsa, do not stir the pasta. This prevents the possibility of a burn error.
Stovetop recipe: If using the stovetop recipe, remember to add 3 cups of liquid for 2 cups of pasta.
Make it creamier: If you want to make this dish more creamy and rich, you stir in a few tablespoons of sour cream after cooking.
Shredded cheese: I like using a shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend in this recipe, but you can use any melting cheese you like. Also, you can customize the cheesiness of this dish. Stir in more or less cheese, based on your liking.
Add toppings: This pasta is delicious as-is, but if you want to add some topping, you can use traditional taco toppings, including salsa, guacamole, sliced jalapeños, chopped avocado, cilantro, etc.
How to add chicken or ground meat: To add meat or chicken to this recipe, simply saute some ground meat, or cubed chicken, with the onions and peppers and follow the recipe instructions.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.