Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

You sure can! Or ground pork...or a combo! Just make sure it's cooked all the way through.

Does it matter what kind of pasta I use?

I like spaghetti or linguine for this recipe, but honestly, you can use any pasta you have on hand. Have I made this with elbow macaroni? YES I HAVE.

How spicy is this recipe?

It totally depends on the kind of salsa you pick. The chili powder and cumin will give it a little kick, but the heat (or lack thereof) in the salsa really determines how spicy things get. So if you are making it for the kiddos (or me!) you will probably want to go with a mild salsa. If you like some heat, go for the hot stuff!

Taco Pasta Bowl

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Turn your tacos into a pasta supper and ditch the messy shells with this easy, spicy recipe for a taco pasta bowl that the whole family will love!

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Ingredients

Scale

Taco Bowl Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups salsa (see note)

Toppings Suggestions

Sour cream
Chopped avocado
Cheese (crumbled queso fresco, shredded cheddar or jack, etc)
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Lime wedges
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Chopped scallions or red onions

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Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions and drain.
While pasta is cooking, make sauce: sauté ground beef with chili powder and cumin in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add salsa to skillet and stir until mixed in and heated through.
Add cooked pasta to skillet and toss with tongs until mixed in with sauce.
Divide among plates and serve with your choice of toppings.

Equipment We Used to Make This Recipe

Notes

You can vary the spiciness of this recipe by picking mild, regular or hot salsa. I’m a spiciness coward so I tend to go for mild!

Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/taco-pasta-bowl/