Enchilada Pasta 🌮🍝
Looking for a comforting, flavorful, and quick dinner idea? This Enchilada Pasta combines the best of two beloved dishes—Mexican enchiladas and pasta—for a meal that’s sure to become a family favorite. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you’ll have a delicious dinner on the table in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil 🫒
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced 🧅
- 1 pound ground beef (ground turkey can also be used) 🦃
- 3 teaspoons taco seasoning (or an equal combination of cumin powder, chili powder, and garlic powder) 🌶️🧄
- 20 ounces enchilada sauce (if you have a 19-ounce can, that will work fine) 🥫
- 2 cups beef broth (chicken broth can also be used) 🍗
- 8 ounces dry (uncooked) rotini pasta (other similar shapes can be used) 🍝
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack, Colby, or cheddar cheese 🧀
Optional Ingredients:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1″ cubes 🧀
- 1 cup corn, thawed if using frozen 🌽
- Green onions for topping 🌿
- Fresh diced tomatoes for topping 🍅
- Black olives for topping 🫒
- Sour cream for topping 🍶
- Cilantro for topping 🌿
Instructions
1️⃣ Heat the olive oil:
In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 🫒🔥
2️⃣ Sauté the onions:
Add the diced onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they start to soften. 🧅🍳
3️⃣ Brown the beef:
Add the ground beef (or turkey) and cook for 5-6 minutes until it’s no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. 🦃🍳
4️⃣ Season the beef:
Stir in the taco seasoning (or the garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin) and cook for an additional minute to allow the flavors to meld. 🌶️🧄
5️⃣ Add the liquids and pasta:
Pour in the enchilada sauce, broth, and dry pasta. Stir to combine everything evenly. Cover the pan and bring it to a boil. 🥫🍗🍝
6️⃣ Simmer until tender:
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid. Note that different pasta brands may vary in cook time. ⏳
7️⃣ Incorporate optional mix-ins:
If using cream cheese, corn, or sour cream, stir them in just before the last 2 minutes of cook time. 🧀🌽
8️⃣ Add the cheese:
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted and creamy. Add any additional optional mix-ins as desired. 🧀🍳
9️⃣ Garnish and serve:
Garnish with green onions, fresh tomatoes, black olives, sour cream, or cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy! 🌿🍅🫒🍶
Recipe Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal, combining the rich, spicy flavors of enchiladas with the comforting satisfaction of pasta. Customize with your favorite toppings and optional ingredients to make it your own!
PrintEnchilada Pasta 🌮🍝
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil 🫒
1 cup yellow onion, diced 🧅
1 pound ground beef (ground turkey can also be used) 🦃
3 teaspoons taco seasoning (or an equal combination of cumin powder, chili powder, and garlic powder) 🌶️🧄
20 ounces enchilada sauce (if you have a 19-ounce can, that will work fine) 🥫
2 cups beef broth (chicken broth can also be used) 🍗
8 ounces dry (uncooked) rotini pasta (other similar shapes can be used) 🍝
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack, Colby, or cheddar cheese 🧀
Optional Ingredients:
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1″ cubes 🧀
1 cup corn, thawed if using frozen 🌽
Green onions for topping 🌿
Fresh diced tomatoes for topping 🍅
Black olives for topping 🫒
Sour cream for topping 🍶
Cilantro for topping 🌿
Instructions
1️⃣ Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. 🫒🔥
2️⃣ Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. 🧅🍳
3️⃣ Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes until no longer pink, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks. 🦃🍳
4️⃣ Add the taco seasoning (or garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin) to the pan, stir well, and cook for an additional minute. 🌶️🧄
5️⃣ Add the enchilada sauce, broth, and dry pasta, then stir to combine. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. 🥫🍗🍝
6️⃣ Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid. Different brands of pasta will have different cook times. ⏳
7️⃣ If adding sour cream, cream cheese, or corn, stir in just before the last 2 minutes of cook time. 🧀🌽
8️⃣ Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese. Add any optional mix-ins. 🧀🍳
9️⃣ Garnish as desired and serve. 🌿🍅🫒🍶
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min