This Healthy Taco Pasta is packed with flavor and nutrition! With a combination of ground turkey, black beans, corn, taco seasoning, and creamy pumpkin, we’ve got a wholesome healthy 30 minute meal perfect for a weeknight dinner!

Healthy taco pasta in large pot with a towel wrapped around handle.

Healthy taco pasta, along with this Mexican chicken and rice, chicken burrito skillet, and taco skillet, is one of my favorite Mexican-inspired one pot dishes!

What you get is a flavorful and satisfying pasta dish full of fresh healthy ingredients bringing together the best of both worlds!

Pumpkin, which you can hardly taste, is the secret to a creamy texture in many healthy pasta dishes without having to add much cheese.

It also provides a ton of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, and when paired with taco seasoning tastes amazing!

For this healthy taco pasta recipe, I use whole wheat pasta which has more nutrients than plain white pasta. But you can also use brown rice, quinoa, chickpea pasta or any gluten free pasta!

I add turkey for lean protein along with plant based protein like black beans and some good fat from the avocado.

If you’re like me and love any and everything that has to do with tacos, you’ll love my turkey taco soup and ground turkey tacos!

Ingredients Needed

The key to healthy one pot meals is having bold flavors come from simple, fresh, and healthy ingredients.

  • Onion and garlic: Aromatics that get sautรฉed first to produce the base flavors of the entire dish.
  • Taco seasoning: I have a great homemade taco seasoning I like to use.
  • Ground turkey: Lean meat provides extra sustenance but you can leave it out and add more beans instead for a vegetarian version.
  • Black beans: Drained and rinsed from a can, unless you have some Instant Pot black beans or cooked dried beans you need to use up! Beans add fiber and plant-based protein.
  • Corn: It’s a staple in Mexican dishes, so we’re adding it to our healthy taco pasta.
  • Diced tomatoes: Gives this dish some acidity to cut the creamy textures.
  • Pumpkin purรฉe: Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling! Pure pumpkin puree, is literally that – purรฉed pumpkin. If you’re not a fan, replace it with tomato sauce instead.
  • Uncooked pasta: Use whole wheat pasta or gluten free pasta. If you’re using leftover cooked pasta, add it in at the end to warm through.
  • Sharp cheddar cheese: Freshly grated from a block so that it melts nicely and you avoid the anti clumping agents that come in pre shredded packages.
  • Avocado: A creamy, healthy fat added at the end to retain its texture!
  • Green onion: Garnish and a pop of color.

How to Make Healthy Taco Pasta

Whipped up in 30 minutes, this one-pot healthy taco pasta dish couldn’t be easier. It’s a deliciously cozy and satisfying!

Sauteed garlic, onion and taco seasoning in a pot.

Grab a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven to use. It needs to be large enough to hold everything. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Any higher and the garlic will burn.

Add the onion and garlic and sautรฉ for a few minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Ground turkey with onion and seasonings stirred in a pot.

From there, you’ll add in the taco seasoning and ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the turkey as it cooks. It’s also a great way to see which pieces are still pink.

Toss in the beans, corn, diced tomatoes, pumpkin purรฉe, water, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring it to a boil.

Pasta, beans, corn, meat and broth in a pot.

Add the uncooked pasta and make sure it’s submerged in all the liquid. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the avocado, and stir.

Melted cheese and green onion on top of taco pasta in a pot.

Sprinkle with cheese and green onions and replace the lid so that the cheese melts for a few minutes. Serve while it’s hot and enjoy!

If you like the look of a rustic table setting, serve it family style and bring the pan right to the table.

Taco Pasta Toppings

This isn’t your traditional pasta, so you can definitely get creative with the toppings!

  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Sliced jalapenos for heat
  • Cilantro

How to Customize

  • Vegan: Omit the turkey and cheese and ramp up the amount of beans. You can leave out the cheese and enjoy the creaminess of the pumpkin or you can use your favorite vegan cheese instead.
  • Vegetarian: Skip the meat but keep the cheese if you’d like! Add more beans, but also increase the amount of veggies to bulk it up.
  • Other ground meat: Use lean ground beef, Italian sausage, or ground chicken.
  • Additional veggies: Toss in some bell peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms, and zucchini.

FAQs

Can I make this taco pasta ahead of time?

You can prepare many of the components of this dish ahead of time. Brown the turkey, dice the veggies, grate the cheese and drain and rinse your beans. Things like that!

It will make everything much easier when you’re ready to cook.

What to serve with this taco pasta?

It’s a filling meal, so a simple side salad, grilled veggies, or a slice of crusty bread is all that is needed to feed your hungry crew.

Storage Tips

  • Refrigerator: Keep leftover healthy taco pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy the next day and the day after that for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
  • Freeze: Transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months. If you still have lots, portion it out so that way you only need to thaw what you’re going to use.

More Healthy Pasta Recipes

Or you can browse through my favorite healthy pasta recipes for more inspiration!

Taco pasta in a pot and spoon nearby.
Healthy taco pasta in one pot with a towel around the handle.

Healthy Taco Pasta

Healthy Taco Pasta comes together in less than 30 minutes, even pasta cooks in same pot. To die for delicious fast dinner you gotta try!
4.91 from 11 votes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 483
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add oil, onion and garlic, and sautรฉ for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add taco seasoning and ground turkey. Sautรฉ for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking turkey into pieces with spatula.
  • Add beans, corn, diced tomatoes, pumpkin puree, water, salt and pepper; stir and bring to a boil.
  • Add pasta, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, add avocado and stir; sprinkle with cheese and green onions, cover for a few minutes to let cheese melt. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

  • Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months.
  • Vegetarian: Substitute with another can of beans for vegetarian version.
  • Pumpkin: Substitute with a can of tomato sauce if not a fan of pumpkin.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 619mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Olena Osipov
Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!

5 Secrets to Easy Healthy Dinners

Plus sign up for weekly emails with recipes to make your cooking stress free, delicious and healthy.

About Olena

Welcome! I grew up in Ukraine watching my grandma cook with simple ingredients. I have spent the last 11 years making it my mission to help you cook quick and easy meals for your family!

Pin this recipe now to save it for later

Pin Recipe

You may also like

Comments

      1. Under ingredients list you mentioned pump purรฉe & for the substitution you said tomato sauce will work..
        So I wanted to know do we add tomato sauce same 14 oz instead for pump purรฉe under ingred list?
        ๐Ÿ˜Š thx

        1. Ohhhhh, you mean pumpkin pureeโ€ฆyes, same 14 ounces amount of tomato sauce instead. Enjoy!

  1. Hi Olena. I love your recipes and I’m looking forward to trying this one. I do have a question. If I use leftover precooked pasta, do I still need to use the 2 cups of water? Are any other adjustments needed when using left over precooked pasta? Thanks for your reply ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Hi Sally, the recipe has not been tested with precooked pasta. I would start by omitting the water, but you may need to add some back in if it’s too thick. But easier to add then to take away.

  2. 4 stars
    I made this tonight. Very yummy. I’ll be adding it to my recipe rotation. Plus, I get 8 meals out of it. I’m sure it’ll taste as yummy out of the freezer. It’s not very spicy, for those who like spice, I’d suggest adding some jalapenos. Also I’m in a higher altitude, so I ended up having to add 2 more cups of water to the mix and boiling it again at the end. I figured I’d have troubles with the pasta, as everything here takes longer to cook. Thanks for the great recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    This was amazing!! Honestly I wasnโ€™t sure about the pumpkin thingโ€ฆ but you wouldnโ€™t know itโ€™s there just adds a wonderful creamy texture to the dish!! Very good!! I forgot to buy avocados though so I left them out, will make it with next time ? I really have yet to find a recipe on this site I havenโ€™t really really liked โ€“ and I have made A LOT. awesome good food and good for you. Simple and easy to make, even the ones when you look at the recipe and think โ€œoh man, thatโ€™s a lot of workโ€ theyโ€™re really not!! So happy I found this site!!

  4. 5 stars
    I love everything with pumpkin in it, especially when it’s called ‘taco pasta’. I can’t wait to try it myself!

  5. 5 stars
    Great job on the video! I It makes it easier to follow the recipe…at least to know what it should look like. ๐Ÿ™‚

4.91 from 11 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.