Beef Taco Pasta Bake

Pasta bakes are one of my favourite categories of food. We usually have the more traditional Italian inspired sauces and the result is usually a beautiful dish that feeds the family and keeps everyone satisfied. This dish departs from that approach by creating a fusion of both Italian & Mexican flavours that make you re-think the type of pasta bakes you will have in the future.

This is a fantastic blending of pasta sauce with Mexican inspired flavours and ingredients. They are mixed with pasta, topped with a sour cream & cheese sauce, then baked to an wonderful golden finish. What an incredibly tasty dish!

We make this dish using a mild Taco sauce so there is no ‘heat’ at all in this version. However if you are looking to spice it up, then it is simply a matter of adding chilli flakes with the taco seasoning, or using a more spicy taco sauce.

Print Recipe

Beef Taco Pasta Bake

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 375 g Penne
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Brown Onion diced
• 1 Red Capsicum diced
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• 500 g Beef Mince
• 30 g Taco Seasoning 1 sachet
• 500 g Tomato Pasta Sauce 1 jar - chunky with herbs
• 240 g Taco Sauce 1 jar - we use mild.
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Pizza Blend Cheese shredded
• Cherry Tomatoes quartered to garnish
• Continental Parsley diced to garnish

Pasta Topping

• 300 ml Sour Cream
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Pizza Blend Cheese shredded

Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Servings people Ingredients 375 g Penne 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Brown Onion diced 1 Red Capsicum diced 2 cloves Garlic crushed 500 g Beef Mince 30 g Taco Seasoning 1 sachet 500 g Tomato Pasta Sauce 1 jar - chunky with herbs 240 g Taco Sauce 1 jar - we use mild. 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup Pizza Blend Cheese shredded Cherry Tomatoes quartered to garnish Continental Parsley diced to garnish Pasta Topping 300 ml Sour Cream 1 Egg 1/2 cup Pizza Blend Cheese shredded

Instructions

1. Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 200°C (390°F)
2. Cook penne according to packet instructions.
3. Add olive oil to a large oven proof dish over medium high heat.
4. Add onion, capsicum & garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onion softens.
5. Add beef mince, break up clumps and stir to mix through. Cook until mince browns.
6. Add taco seasoning, stir to mix through.
7. Add tomato pasta sauce, taco sauce and water to dish. Stir to mix through.
8. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and add penne. stir to fully combine.
10. Pour pasta topping (refer instructions below) over the pasta mixture, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup extra pizza blend cheese.
11. Place baking dish in oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
12. Remove from oven and garnish with cherry tomato & continental parsley, then serve.

Pasta Topping

1. Add sour cream, egg and pizza blend cheese to a bowl.
2. Whisk until fully combined.