Description
A creamy, cheesy, one-pot taco pasta meal prep recipe that saves time and effort. This dish holds up beautifully in the fridge for four days, offering high protein and grab-and-go convenience for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground turkey or beef (93% lean turkey or 85% lean beef)
- 12 oz (340g) rotini or penne pasta
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1.5 cups (170g) shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 2 tbsp (30g) taco seasoning
- 4 oz (113g) diced green chiles
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground meat and break into small crumbles. Cook until no pink remains, then drain excess grease if necessary. Set meat aside or push to the side.
- Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return meat to the pot. Add taco seasoning and stir to coat. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in uncooked pasta and diced green chiles.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Add 1/4 cup water if needed.
- Remove pot from heat. Stir in heavy cream and half of the shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Ladle pasta into four glass containers. Top each with remaining cheese. Let cool to room temperature before covering to prevent condensation.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta initially as it will continue to cook in the residual heat. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness. For reheating, add a splash of milk or broth and cover with a damp paper towel to maintain moisture. The flavor peaks on day 3 of storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 62
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
Keywords: one-pot meal, taco pasta, meal prep, easy dinner, ground turkey, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, freezer friendly