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!
Print
Enchilada 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