Beefy Taco Pasta
By :6 Ingredients or Less Cookbook by Ivy Manning
This family-friendly pasta is reminiscent of the ground beef helper meals many of us grew up with, only better because it’s homemade. Use very lean ground beef in this recipe so you don’t have to take the extra step of draining off the drippings once the meat is browned. Be sure to use taco seasoning that does not contain cornstarch or other thickeners, such as Simply Organic Southwestern Taco Seasoning.
Votes: 45
Rating: 4.07
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Modern
Difficulty Easy
Duration 30-60 min
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook, Sauté
Main Ingredient Bell Pepper, Ground Beef, Pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef 95%
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 packet taco seasoning 1.3 ounce
  • 12 ounces campanelle short, chunky twisted pasta
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 large red bell pepper chopped
  • salt and black pepper
Course Main Course
Cuisine Modern
Difficulty Easy
Duration 30-60 min
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook, Sauté
Main Ingredient Bell Pepper, Ground Beef, Pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef 95%
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 packet taco seasoning 1.3 ounce
  • 12 ounces campanelle short, chunky twisted pasta
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 large red bell pepper chopped
  • salt and black pepper
Votes: 45
Rating: 4.07
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. Put the oil in the pot, select SAUTÉ, and adjust to NORMAL/MEDIUM heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef, onions, and 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning and cook, breaking the meat into 1/2- inch chunks and stirring frequently, until the onions are tender (the beef will finish cooking under pressure), 6 minutes. Press CANCEL.
  2. Add the pasta and stir to coat with the onions and beef. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together 3 cups of water, the tomato paste, and the remaining taco seasoning. Pour the mixture over the pasta in the pot and stir gently to combine. Place the peppers on top of the pasta mixture. Lock on the lid, select the PRESSURE COOK function, and adjust to LOW pressure for 5 minutes. Make sure the steam valve is in the “Sealing” position.
  3. When the cooking time is up, quick-release the pressure. Gently stir the pasta with a rubber spatula, scraping any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce will thicken upon standing. Serve sprinkled with the optional cheese, if desired.
38 replies
  1. Nscott408
    Nscott408 says:

    This was a hit with my kids! They loved it big time! Will definetly be making agian soon…had left overs also..delicious the next day..and very inexpensive to make.

  2. Burakol1101
    Burakol1101 says:

    It was easy and tasty, but I always had problems with the bottom being burnt causing it to stop pressure cooking…

  3. Persephone9261983@gmail.com
    Persephone9261983@gmail.com says:

    It was tasty. I made it in my 8 qt, it gave me the burn message, but when I opened the pot it was done and not burned. Will make it again but add like half a cup more water think

  4. Kalliekrueger
    Kalliekrueger says:

    It was good, I personally would’ve preferred softened tomato pieces rather than the bell peppers! I would highly reccomed you pre-prepare everything prior rather than doing it in the short time frames 🙂

  5. Kara Larson
    Kara Larson says:

    This was the first thing I cooked in my insta pot. It was delicous but i would recomend cooking a couple extra minutes

  6. bella31
    bella31 says:

    Love this recipe started making it regularly. I personally like more heat so I use no tomato corn chilli from Trader Joe’s.

  7. Heike
    Heike says:

    This is delicous. I used broth instead of water and i added two handfuls of shredded cheese after the pressure was realeased. This is so easy to make and takes less time than driving to get fastfood.

  8. movovertex
    movovertex says:

    Yay! 13YO finally ate a “casserole!”
    I added diced poblano. He went back for seconds! #success #thankyou

  9. Lizziet920
    Lizziet920 says:

    Really good and super easy! Did t have taco seasoning so used fajita seasoning instead- it was a hit! Sprinkled some grated cheddar over the top when done and it was perfect.

  10. JSKGreenblatt
    JSKGreenblatt says:

    Love the recipe – great taste and quick & easy to prepare. I’ve gotten the Burn warning message a few times when making – any suggestions on what I’m doing wrong / how to adjust to avoid would be greatly appreciated.

  11. Nebrn25
    Nebrn25 says:

    Can i brown the meat and onions first in a frying pan? Im using the IP for another dish right now

  12. Pksanterre
    Pksanterre says:

    It so easy to make. It did require 1/2 teaspoon of extra salt. I used 12oz equal egg noodles and corkscrew noodles. Pressure cooked 7 minutes and noodles were al dente.

  13. Beccabull403
    Beccabull403 says:

    Made it as per the recipe.. pretty good but i think next time i will use the next level of geat for taco seasoning. And broth for the tomato paste mix for more flavor

  14. Rhian
    Rhian says:

    Not a fan of this, no matter what i did my Instapot kept burning. I ended up after adding double the amount of water finushing it on the hob. Wo t be doung it again.

  15. ElvenSeer
    ElvenSeer says:

    Burned the pot and even after it burned the pasta still wasnt cooking all the way. Sad day.

  16. Instant Pot
    Instant Pot says:

    Hi ElvenSheer,

    When you receive the burn error typically you will need to add more liquid and deglaze the bottom. If the burn error was not correct the unit will not heat properly as it is is trying to prevent a burn by reducing the heat.

  17. Ivy
    Ivy says:

    Hi ElvenSheer

    What kind of pasta did you use? Some shapes will absorb more liquid, thus a burn notice. I used American grocery store garganelli. When tested with Italian copper dye cut pasta from Italy, it was too dry.

  18. Crystaljungle1
    Crystaljungle1 says:

    Its good and very easy to make but a full onion is way too much. The onion overpowers the recipe. I would recommend no more than a half onion at the most for this recipe. Otherwise its quite good and filling!

  19. gallapa
    gallapa says:

    Good meal. I replaced the water with chicken broth and added the full can of tomato paste. Used rotini pasta and increased the cooking time by 2 minutes.

  20. lgobler
    lgobler says:

    Love this recipe!! Instead of water I used low sodium chicken broth 4 cups and low sodium taco seasoning since we cut back on salt. Also cooked for 10min rather than 5. Came out great and my hisband and son who are the worst eaters both loved it!

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