Slow Cooker Taco Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef salt and pepper

• 1 bell pepper chopped

• 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup jarred salsa

• 15 ounce can corn drained

• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning

• 2 ½ cups water or low sodium chicken broth

• 12 ounces shell pasta shapes (uncooked) whole wheat or white

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season with

salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling it and stirring often, until browned. Drain

off excess grease. Transfer beef to slow cooker.

2. Add the bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, salsa, corn, taco seasoning, and broth or

water. Stir. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. (There will be lots of extra liquid.

Don't worry, the liquid will be absorbed later when you add the pasta.)

Stir in the pasta and press it all down into the liquid.

Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Pasta cook time will vary by slow cooker. (If you did the initial cook time on the low setting, it will take longer for the crockpot to heat up to high, so the pasta will take longer to cook.)

Stir in the cheddar cheese and serve. It's delicious with a spoonful of sour cream,

chopped fresh cilantro and more shredded cheddar.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Leftovers

can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then

reheat in the microwave.

Recipe Variations:

For a lighter dish, substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.

More veggies: You can add chopped onion (sauté it with the ground beef), chopped

fresh spinach (stir it in with the pasta), and/or finely chopped carrot (add it with the

tomatoes and be sure to chop it small so it gets tender).

Add beans: You can add a can of black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained.

Make it vegetarian: Substitute two cans of beans for the beef to make this meal

vegetarian.

https://kristineskitchenblog.com/wprm_print/easy-slow-cooker-taco-pasta