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    Recipes » Recipes

    One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Apr 23, 2016 · Modified: Feb 12, 2021 by Dee

    One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet cooks entirely in one pot and takes only 3o minutes to make.  This easy weeknight or weekend dinner is perfect for busy families!one-pan-mexican-pasta-skillet

    Jump to Recipe -

    You all probably know by know how much I love quick and easy meals. I pretty much depend on them to get dinner on the table in a hurry and to avoid going the fast food route. My favorite easy dinners are definitely those that you can make all in one pot.  After all, who wants to spend time cleaning up a bunch of pots and pans?

    My family loves pasta, and they love Mexican food, so I thought it would be fun to switch things up a little and combine two of our favorite flavors into one easy skillet meal.

    This Mexican pasta dish starts off with the same base that I use for a lot of our favorite south-of-the-border inspired dishes, including Southwestern Lasagna.

    It starts off with seasoned ground beef, onions, jalapeno peppers, black beans and corn.  Then, I add canned diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, a little bit of water and pasta. I let this eclectic mix simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes before adding some shredded Mexican-blend cheese. And that's basically all there is to it -- easy peasy!

    I used medium shells in this recipe, although it really doesn't matter what type of pasta you use. I like how the meat and sauce get into all of the little nooks and crannies of the shells, so I would recommend using a similar pasta just for this reason. It's like a burst of flavor with each bite -- yum!

    one-pan-mexican-pasta-shells

    How To Make One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet

    Recipe

    one-pan-mexican-pasta-skillet

    One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet

    Published by Dee
    One Pan Mexican Pasta is a savory blend of pasta, ground beef, black beans, corn and tomato sauce all mixed together in one skillet.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 270 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • 1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
    • 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
    • 1 cup diced white onions
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
    • 1 cup frozen corn thawed slightly
    • 1 14 ½ oz can diced tomatoes
    • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups uncooked medium pasta shells about ½ a box
    • 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

    Instructions
     

    • In a large skillet, saute the jalapeno peppers and onions in olive oil over medium high heat
    • Add the ground beef, and cook until brown
    • Add the spices, corn and black beans, and stir
    • Add the diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes
    • Add the pasta and water
    • Turn heat to high, and cover with foil
    • Cook for 10 minutes, remove foil, stir, and lower heat to medium
    • Check to make sure pasta is firm, but cooked. You can add more water and cook longer if needed
    • Stir in the cheese
    • Serve, and enjoy!

    Notes

    You can add chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish if desired.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 23gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 735mgPotassium: 639mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 545IUVitamin C: 15.3mgCalcium: 178mgIron: 4.1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    one-pan-mexican-pasta-shells-skillet

    I love that this one pan Mexican pasta skillet is so low maintenance. I checked the pasta a couple of times to make sure that it wasn't too dry, but it wasn't. I didn't have to keep stirring or anything, so that was a big plus.

    You can always add a little more water if you think you need to.

    And if you really want, you can skip the individual spices and use a packet of taco seasoning, instead -- whatever is easiest for you!

    easy one pan Mexican pasta skillet recipe

    My family loved this dinner, and my little guy even asked for seconds. Whenever he does that, I know it's a good recipe. Go me!

    Have a super day, friends!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Miz Helen says

      May 04, 2016 at 5:59 pm

      Congratulations!
      Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your new Red Plate and thanks so much for sharing with us!
      Miz Helen5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 05, 2016 at 6:26 am

        Thank you so much, Miz Helen. It's a family favorite!

    2. Shirley Wood says

      April 29, 2016 at 7:56 am

      Dee, I could almost lick the screen. That looks luscious, perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

      Reply
    3. Martie says

      April 29, 2016 at 7:23 am

      Beautiful dish! I know it's tasty, too, especially if the kids love it! I love one pot meals! Thanks for sharing on FoodieFriDIY! 🙂

      Reply
    4. Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says

      April 28, 2016 at 6:58 pm

      I'm also ALL about easy weeknight dinners - and a bonus when they're all in one pot! And we love these flavors, so I know this will be a huge hit! Yum!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 28, 2016 at 10:55 pm

        Thanks, Kathryn. Even my picky eaters enjoyed this dish!

    5. Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood says

      April 26, 2016 at 6:10 pm

      This looks delicious! Something my whole family would love - from toddler to husband!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 26, 2016 at 9:23 pm

        Thanks, Morgan. My family really loved it, and there were no complaints! 🙂

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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