Taco pasta recipe with ground turkey and rotini pasta. Easy and delicious dinner idea the family will love.
A lot of times you can get stuck in a pasta routine that you just can’t seem to break away from. For many it might look like spaghetti with a jar of sauce.
Of course that’s a perfectly good dinner and even the pickiest of eaters will gobble every bit and ask for thirds.
But after a while it just becomes a weekly staple you pick up without giving it much thought. So if you’re needing something a little bit different but still kid friendly, this taco pasta recipe is perfect.
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Taco + Pasta. I’m not sure you can go wrong with something called taco pasta and this dish is a combination of both worlds. You’ll get the ground meat, cheese and spices like a taco, and pasta in a creamy sauce just like your favorite pasta dish.
A lot of taco pasta recipes call for ground beef with shells but this one is made just a little bit different. Instead of using ground beef we’ll be using ground turkey, and for the pasta we’ll be using rotini pasta noodles.
It’s just a few changes from the traditional recipe you may be familiar with but just like spaghetti, the kids will still be asking for thirds.
TACO PASTA RECIPE
For this recipe we’ll be using an entire 1 lb. box of pasta. We like to have leftovers in the house and honestly, I’m not a fan on leaving ⅓ of the box left in the pantry.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. box of rotini pasta
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- ½ onion
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 TBS chili power
- 1 ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 4 ½ cups water
- 6 oz cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- cilantro
COOK THE GROUND TURKEY
*note- You can do this in one large pot like we have before or use a pan to cook the ground turkey separately.
Preheat pan to medium high. Add 2 tsp. olive oil.
Dice onions and add onions to the pan. Cook until soft. Add diced pepper and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
Fully cook.
IN A LARGE POT
In a large pot add 1 lb. box of rotini pasta, 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes (not drained), 3 TBS chili powder, 1 ½ tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. salt and 4 ½ cups of water.
Add ground turkey mixture and stir to combine.
Cook on medium high for 8-10 minutes covered, stirring every few minutes.
Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer uncovered for an additional 4-5 minutes while the remaining juices soak in.
Add 6 oz of shredded cheddar cheese and ⅓ cup of plain yogurt. Fold in.
Top with cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TACO PASTA
Taco pasta doesn’t need too much but if you’re looking for a side or two you can try a couple of these.
- Side salad
- Cucumber salad
- Garlic bread
- Dinner rolls
- Bread and butter
LEFTOVERS
You can keep leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
We love leftovers in this house, and that’s exactly why we made the entire box even though we are a family of four. Taco pasta leftovers are great to take to work and even better as dinner the next day.
CAN YOU FREEZE TACO PASTA
You can freeze taco pasta for up to three months. We like to use smaller tin foil pans with lids and freeze unused leftovers for when the night is too busy to cook dinner. Just pop it into the oven at 350° and reheat fully.
So if you’re looking for something a bit different than your normal pasta routine, try this easy and delicious taco pasta recipe for your next family dinner night.
Taco Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 1 yellow pepper
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 TBS chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 6 oz cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- cilantro to top
Instructions
- Preheat pan to medium high. Add 2 tsp. olive oil.
- Dice onions and add onions to the pan. Cook until soft. Add diced pepper and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook fully.
- In a large pot add 1 lb. box of rotini pasta, 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes (not drained), 3 TBS chili powder, 1 ½ tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. salt and 4 ½ cups of water.
- Add ground turkey mixture and stir to combine.
- Cook on medium high for 8-10 minutes covered, stirring every few minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer uncovered for an additional 4-5 minutes while the remaining juices soak in.
- Add 6 oz of shredded cheddar cheese and ⅓ cup of plain yogurt. Fold in.
- Top with cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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