Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta

Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta made in ONE POT with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, salsa, vegetables, and cheddar cheese with rigatoni pasta, ready in under 20 minutes!

Easy Mexican inspired recipes are my go-to on busy weeknights including QUICK Enchilada Sauce, Mexican Rice and my crazy popular Cheesy Taco Pasta!

CHEESY TEX MEX PASTA

Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta is savory, cheesy, and incredibly EASY to make in one pot in under 20 minutes. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, made with ground beef, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, and pasta. Plus it’s full of vegetables like bell pepper, black beans, corn, and salsa. You can use store-bought salsa, or freshly made salsa with my homemade Pico De Gallo. I also like to use my Homemade Taco Seasoning, because I usually make a big batch and have it leftover in the pantry.

HOW LONG DOES CHEESY TEX MEX PASTA KEEP?

This pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but will always be the best the day of. Make sure you store it in an airtight container to keep the pasta from drying out.

CAN YOU FREEZE CHEESY TEX MEX PASTA?

You can make this ahead of time and freeze it for a busy night. I recommend only cooking the pasta until it’s al dente, so it can finish cooking the rest of the way when it’s reheated. I would also leave the cheese out if you’re making this to freeze.

Defrost in the refrigerator the night before, then reheat in a large skillet, adding some extra broth as needed. Stir in the cheese before serving.

WHAT OTHER VEGGIES CAN YOU ADD?

• Mushrooms
• Jalapeños or poblano peppers
• Peas
• Kale
• Spinach
• Black olives

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MORE EASY WEEKNIGHT PASTA RECIPES

• Ground Pot Roast Pasta
• Chicken Parmesan Pasta
• Creamy Turkey and Swiss Pasta
• Creamy Lemon Baked Pasta (5 Ingredients!)
• Cheesy Florentine Pasta

TIPS FOR MAKING CHEESY TEX MEX PASTA

• I’m using rigatoni pasta in this recipe, but you can use penne or any other noodle if that’s what you have.
• I like to make this with ground beef, but you can also make it with ground chicken, turkey, or sausage. Or cut up leftover rotisserie chicken!
• I always serve this with extra cheese and some fresh cilantro on the table.
• If you want to make this extra crunchy, top with some crushed tortilla chips before serving.
• You can make the cheese golden brown and bubbly by using an oven-safe skillet and broiling for 2-3 minutes. Watch closely, to make sure it doesn’t burn as the broiler is very hot.
• Make this extra spicy by adding 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or make it smokey by adding some chipotle seasoning.
• You can leave the pasta out of this dish entirely and replace it with rice, or serve the seasoned meat and vegetables with warm tortillas for a Tex Mex burrito bowl.

5 from 5 votes

Print

Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta

Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta made in ONE POT with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, salsa, vegetables, and cheddar cheese with rigatoni pasta, ready in under 20 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American/Mexican

Keyword cheesy tex mex pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 412 kcal

Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces cooked rigatoni pasta

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Add the canola oil, beef, onion and bell pepper to a large skillet and cook on medium-high until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add in the taco seasoning, beef broth, tomato sauce and salsa and cook until it thickens, 3-4 minutes.

3. Add in the corn, black beans, cheese and pasta and stir to combine.

Recipe Notes

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Tex Mex Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 412 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 569mg25%

Potassium 587mg17%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 770IU15%

Vitamin C 15.1mg18%

Calcium 142mg14%

Iron 2.7mg15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.