Description

Ground Turkey Taco Pasta is a super creamy and flavor-packed meal made a little lighter with lean ground turkey. This easy meal idea is going to change the way you do Taco night!

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground turkey
1 small onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
2 garlic cloves
1 cup salsa (not chunky)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
¾ cup water
2 ½ cups dry shell pasta (macaroni or rotini)
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (divided in half)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided in half)
Sliced green onions and diced tomatoes for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onions until soft; 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink; about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid and return meat mixture to the pan.
Step 2: Stir in salsa, taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced. Stir in cheeses until melted.
Step 3: Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and stir pasta into the meat mixture until coated.
Step 4: Sprinkle remaining cheeses (½ cup of each) evenly over taco pasta, turn heat to low and cover for about 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Step 5: Garnish with sliced green onions and fresh diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Freezing the assembled pasta is not recommended as the texture may become mushy, but the taco meat can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American Mexican

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 408 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 634 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 33 g
Cholesterol: 78 mg

Keywords: ground turkey, taco pasta