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    Home » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Taco Pasta

    Published: Jun 16, 2021 · Modified: Jun 16, 2021 by Lisa Johnson

    Instant Pot Taco Pasta

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    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please visit my disclosure page.

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    A big blue bowl filled with taco pasta topped with crumbled cheese and surrounded by bowls with taco seasoning, sour cream, and chopped cilantro with title graphic across the top.

    Instant Pot Taco Pasta is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It is creamy, cheesy, and easy to make with ground beef, taco seasoning, salsa, pasta noodles and lots of cheese!

    Check out my Instant Pot Recipes page for even more delicious pressure cooker recipes.

    A big blue bowl filled with taco pasta topped with crumbled cheese and surrounded by bowls with sour cream, and chopped cilantro.

    Okay there are a few extra ingredients, but you get the idea. Sauté the onions and garlic, brown the meat and dump everything else into your pressure cooker. It could not get any easier!!

    Taco Pasta ingredients:

    • diced onion and minced garlic with some olive oil to sauté them.
    • ground beef - you can substitute turkey or chicken if you prefer.
    • taco seasoning - you can use package taco seasoning (you will need 1.5 packages) but it contains potato starch and "may" cause a burn notice if it thickens the liquid too much while cooking. I have not tried this recipe using packaged seasoning.
    • chicken stock - it has a richer, fuller flavor than beef stock.
    • a jar of your favorite salsa - I used Fontera Roasted Tomato, but any salsa that is not too chunky will work great. If you like spicy, choose a spicy salsa!
    • fusilli or rotini dry pasta - or pasta of your choice, including gluten-free if you like.
    • black or pinto beans and corn are optional, but definitely add something to the finished dish.
    • cheddar, queso fresco, and Monterrey Jack cheeses.
    • cilantro and any of your favorite taco toppings - sliced avocado, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, hot sauce, etc.
    Dry rotini, ground beef, oil, onion, garlic, chicken stock, taco seasoning, salsa, beans, corn, and three cheeses in white bowls.

    Looking for more delicious Instant Pot Recipes? Sign up for a FREE Top 10 Instant Pot Recipes e-Book and receive future recipes delivered to your inbox!

    How to make Cheesy Instant Pot Taco Pasta:

    Plug in your pressure cooker and press the "Sauté" button. Add the olive oil to the liner when the display reads "HOT". Add the onions and cook until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.

    Diced onion sautéed in olive oil.

    Next, add the garlic, stir and cook for one minute. Add the ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook until no longer pink.

    Ground beef mixed with diced onion, garlic, and taco seasoning in a pressure cooker.

    Pour in the chicken stock and use the wooden spoon/turner to scrape the bottom of the pressure cooker to remove any cooked on bits. We do not want a BURN notice!!

    Chicken stock and ground beef in an instant pot with a wooden spoon on the right side.

    Press the "Cancel" button. Stir in the salsa. Sprinkle the pasta over the liquid but do not stir! Gently press the noodles down just until they are submerged in the liquid.

    Ground beef, chicken stock, salsa, and pasta in a pressure cooker.

    Sprinkle the drained corn over the pasta, then sprinkle the drained black beans on top of the corn. Again, do not stir!!

    Beans and corn as the top layer in a pressure cooker.

    Secure the lid and check to make sure the knob is in the "Sealing" position. Press the "Manual or Pressure Cook" button, check to make sure it is High Pressure, and adjust the time to 5 minutes using the + or - buttons.

    Instant Pot set for 5 minutes on High Pressure.

    When the pressure cooker beeps press/turn the knob to release the pressure manually.

    Looking down on cooked beans and corn in a pressure cooker.

    Stir to combine. Do not panic if it seems to still have a lot of liquid, the pasta will absorb it as it sits.

    Cooked pasta, beans, corn, and salsa in a pressure cooker.

    Add the cheeses and stir to combine.

    Three types of cheese on top of cooked pasta, corn, and beans.

    Serve with your choice of toppings.

    Taco pasta with beans and corn in a white bowl topped with sour cream and sliced jalapeno.

    Recipe modifications:

    • For a cheesy taco pasta bake - pour into a baking dish and top with 2 cups of shredded cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
    • For extra creamy pasta - stir in 2 to 4 ounces of cream cheese and/or 1 cup of sour cream or yogurt before adding the cheeses.
    • For extra creamy, extra cheesy - do all of the above!!
    • To use a different type of pasta - cook for half the amount of time listed on the package. Example: my package of pasta lists the time as 9 minutes for al dente, and 11 minutes for fully cooked. I would normally cook my pasta for 10 minutes on the stove, therefore this recipe calls for 5 minutes in a pressure cooker.

    Tools used to create this recipe:

    • 6 quart Instant Pot
    • Cheese Grater
    • Roasted Tomato Salsa
    • Chicken Stock - also available at your local grocery store.
    • Chefs Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Wooden Spoon/Turner

    You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!

    More delicious instant pot recipes:

    • Chicken Taco Bowls
    • Southwest Chili with Black Beans and Corn
    • Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
    • Barbecue Ribs
    • Red Chile Pork Tamales
    • Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
    • Might I suggest a delicious Kahlua Flan for dessert?!

    If you love this recipe, please rate it five stars and help me share on facebook and to help other readers in our community!

    Enjoy!!

    A big blue bowl filled with taco pasta topped with crumbled cheese and surrounded by bowls with taco seasoning, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.

    Instant Pot Taco Pasta

    Instant Pot Taco Pasta is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It is creamy, cheesy, and easy to make using simple pantry ingredients.
    No ratings yet
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Keyword: pressure cooker cheesy taco pasta
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Pressure Building: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 1156kcal
    Author: Lisa Johnson

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 0.5 cup diced yellow onion
    • 2 large cloves garlic minced
    • 1 pound ground beef mine is 80/20
    • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 16 ounce jar tomato salsa not chunky style - mild or spicy
    • 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
    • 15 ounce can corn drained or rinse
    • 8 ounces dry fusilli or rotini pasta
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
    • 0.5 cup crumbled queso fresco or cojito
    • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
    • sliced avocado, sour cream, black olives, jalapeno slices, diced tomatoes, hot sauce to garnish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Plug in your pressure cooker and press the "Sauté" button. Add the olive oil to the liner when the display reads "HOT". Add the onions and cook until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.
    • Next, add the garlic, stir and cook for one minute. Add the ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook until no longer pink.
    • Pour in the chicken stock and use the wooden spoon/turner to scrape the bottom of the pressure cooker to remove any cooked on bits. We do not want a BURN notice!!
    • Press the "Cancel" button. Stir in the salsa. Sprinkle the pasta over the liquid but do not stir! Gently press the noodles down just until they are submerged in the liquid.
    • Sprinkle the drained corn over the pasta, then sprinkle the drained black beans on top of the corn. Again, do not stir!!
    • Secure the lid and check to make sure the knob is in the "Sealing" position. Press the "Manual or Pressure Cook" button, check to make sure it is High Pressure, and adjust the time to 5 minutes using the + or - buttons.
    • When the pressure cooker beeps press/turn the knob to release the pressure manually. Stir to combine. Do not panic if it seems to still have a lot of liquid, the pasta will absorb it as it sits.
    • Add the cheeses and stir to combine. Serve with your choice of toppings.

    Notes

    • For a cheesy taco pasta bake - pour into a baking dish and top with 2 cups of shredded cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
    • For extra creamy pasta - stir in 2 to 4 ounces of cream cheese and/or 1 cup of sour cream or yogurt before adding the cheeses.
    • For extra creamy, extra cheesy - do all of the above!!
    • To use a different type of pasta - cook for half the amount of time listed on the package. Example: my package of pasta lists the time as 9 minutes for al dente, and 11 minutes for fully cooked. I would normally cook my pasta for 10 minutes on the stove, therefore this recipe calls for 5 minutes in a pressure cooker.
    • Taco Seasoning
    • You can use package taco seasoning (you will need 1.5 packages) but it contains potato starch and may cause a burn notice if it thickens the liquid too much while cooking. I have not tried this recipe using packaged seasoning.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1156kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 1647mg | Potassium: 1592mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1647IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 609mg | Iron: 7mg
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