Description
Spicy enchilada pasta delivers comfort with Mexican-inspired flair, blending hearty noodles and zesty sauce for a quick weeknight dinner. Creamy cheese and bold seasonings make this dish an irresistible crowd-pleaser you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Pasta and Sauce:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (penne or rotini)
- 1 can (10 ounces/285 grams) enchilada sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces/411 grams) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
Seasonings and Cheese:
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 onion, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Olives
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, following package timing. Drain thoroughly and reserve.
- Sauté ground beef and diced onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat browns and onions become translucent, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Remove excess grease from skillet, then sprinkle taco seasoning across meat mixture, stirring to coat evenly.
- Pour enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth into skillet, allowing ingredients to blend and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate cooked pasta into beef mixture, gently folding to ensure even distribution of sauce and meat.
- Sprinkle half the shredded cheese into the pasta, stirring until cheese begins to melt and integrate with other ingredients.
- Top the entire skillet with remaining cheese, covering surface completely.
- Reduce heat to low, place lid on skillet, and allow cheese to melt for 3-4 minutes until fully smooth and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, or sour cream before serving hot directly from skillet.
Notes
- Customize the spice level by adjusting the amount of taco seasoning or using a mild/hot variant to suit different taste preferences.
- For a vegetarian twist, replace ground beef with plant-based crumbles or black beans to create a hearty meat-free version.
- Experiment with different cheese blends like pepper jack or a Mexican cheese mix to add extra flavor complexity to the dish.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and checking that your taco seasoning and enchilada sauce are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg