Crock Pot Taco Pasta
All the bold, zesty flavor of taco night — loaded into a crock pot with pasta shells and enough to feed the whole family twice over.
If taco night and pasta night had a baby and raised it in a crock pot, this would be the result — and it would be absolutely wonderful. Taco pasta is one of those dishes that sounds almost too easy, but one bite in, you stop questioning it entirely and just start eating.
The salsa does double duty here, acting as both the sauce base and the seasoning all in one jar. The chicken broth keeps everything cooking low and slow without drying out, the black beans and corn add heartiness and a little sweetness, and the red bell pepper brings a subtle crunch and a pop of color that makes the whole pot look as good as it tastes.
And then there are the toppings. A generous spoonful of cool sour cream and a heavy handful of shredded cheese dropped right on top of a hot bowl — that contrast is half the magic of this dish. It's comfort food with a little kick, and it makes a crock pot so full you'll be grateful for the leftovers.
Crock Pot Taco Pasta
- 1 medium pack ground hamburger meat
- 1 jar salsa (your favorite variety)
- 18 oz chicken broth
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 box (16 oz) pasta shells
- Shredded cheese, for topping
- Sour cream, for topping
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. No need to drain — pour the browned meat and all the drippings straight into the crock pot. That fat carries a lot of flavor.
- Add the salsa, chicken broth, drained corn, drained and rinsed black beans, and chopped red bell pepper to the crock pot. Give everything a good stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 full hours, letting all those flavors come together into a rich, savory base.
- Pour the dry pasta shells directly into the crock pot and stir them down into the liquid. Replace the lid and cook for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring once or twice along the way, until the shells are tender and have soaked up all that taco-flavored goodness.
- Serve hot, topped with a generous handful of shredded cheese and a big dollop of sour cream. Let everyone add as much or as little as they like.
This dish is a full meal on its own, but warm tortilla chips on the side for scooping are never a bad idea. A simple side salad with cilantro lime dressing rounds it out nicely if you want to stretch it even further for a crowd.
Leftovers reheat easily on the stovetop or in the microwave with a small splash of broth stirred in. The pasta will have soaked up even more of the sauce by the next day, making it arguably even better the second time around. This recipe makes a genuinely large pot — plan on feeding people more than once.
Big, bold, filling, and endlessly satisfying — taco pasta is the kind of dinner the whole table asks for by name. Once you make it, you'll understand why.