Instant Pot taco pasta is a quick and delicious dinner that’s packed with flavor. This easy dinner recipe can be made in less than 30 minutes.
Instant Pot taco pasta is a quick and easy dinner recipe that’s made entirely in the Instant Pot. This recipe takes a few pantry-staple ingredients and turns them into a flavorful pasta dish.
Not only is this recipe delicious, but it’s also easy to change up to suit your tastes. It’s also a great way to stretch a pound of ground beef. Also, taco pasta makes a great weeknight dinner because it can be made in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- Lean ground beef: I use beef that’s 88% lean. It’s lean enough that I don’t need to drain the beef, but it isn’t so lean that it dries out as it cooks.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Taco seasoning: You can use reduced-sodium taco seasoning, hot taco seasoning, or make your own homemade taco seasoning.
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato salsa: Feel free to use medium or hot salsa if you prefer.
- Beef broth: I like to use reduced-sodium beef broth to better control the sodium level.
- Shell pasta
- Cheese: Use whatever type of cheese you prefer.
How to make Instant Pot taco pasta
Step 1: Press the sauté button.
Step 2: When hot, add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 3: Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring the entire time, for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Pour in the broth. Scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Press cancel.
Step 5: Add the dry pasta.
Step 6: Top the pasta with the taco seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, salsa.
Step 7: Close and lock the lid. Turn the pressure release valve to sealing. Press manual high pressure and adjust the time to 3 minutes.
Step 8: Once the cooking has finished, do a controlled quick release.
Step 9: Stir the pasta. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, and stir in.
Step 10: Top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.
Storage
Store any leftover taco pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The pasta will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup mild tomato salsa
- 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 16 ounces dry medium shell pasta
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Press the sauté button.
- When hot, add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring the entire time, for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth. Scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Press cancel.
- Add the dry pasta.
- Top the pasta with the taco seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, salsa.
- Close and lock the lid.
- Turn the pressure release valve to sealing.
- Press manual high pressure and adjust the time to 3 minutes.
- Once the cooking has finished, do a controlled quick release.
- Stir the pasta.
- Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, and stir in.
- Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Ground beef: I use 88% lean ground beef. There’s no need to drain the beef, but it isn’t so lean that it dries out as it cooks.
- Taco seasoning: You can use reduced-sodium taco seasoning, hot taco seasoning, or make your own homemade taco seasoning.
- Tomato salsa: Feel free to use medium or hot salsa if you prefer.
- Beef broth: I like to use reduced-sodium beef broth to better control the sodium level.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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Did You Make This?
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What would be the best way to make this a freezer instant pot meal?
Hi! Would you like to pre-cook and freeze or partially prep, freeze, and then cook it?
Good! Simple. Easy! Kind of reminds me of hamburger helper. The pasta turned out perfectly Al dente. When you open it, don’t let the amount of liquid worry you. Once you add the cheese and let it cool a bit, it becomes the right consistency!
Thank you!
So i made this recipe with protein noodles and doubled the amount. Cooked the 2nd portion of noodles separately and then mixed them all together at the end. Added a little more taco seasoning and Cumin and it tastes great! Instant pot did a really good job as cooking the noodles!
Good! I’ve had good luck with cooking pasta in the Instant Pot, too.
Hi! Delicious recipe. Could this be doubled in an 8-quart instant pot? Thanks!
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but I would guess that that should work.