This Instant Pot Taco Pasta recipe is the perfect meal when you want a fast, quick weeknight dinner recipe that the whole family will love! It combines Mexican flavors with pasta and just a few other ingredients to make a delicious, flavorful easy meal! The best part is this recipe comes together in just 20 minutes!
The first time I made this recipe my husband said it reminded him of homemade hamburger helper! As funny as that was at the time, the truth was it did kind of remind me of hamburger helper too, but a whole lot better! It was so good we couldn’t stop eating it. And it’s so simple to make. The taco seasoning and salsa gives it lots of flavor and the pasta cooks surprisingly super fast in the Instant Pot.
I have to be honest, the Instant Pot has made my life a whole lot easier. I love cooking one pot meals in the Instant Pot for easy clean up, plus I don’t have to touch my stove. A few of my other favorite Instant Pot recipes are my Instant Pot White Chicken Chili, Instant Pot Southwest Lentils and Brown Rice and Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal!
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED
Ground Turkey or Beef. I’ve been using ground turkey instead of ground beef for several years now, but either one is perfect for this recipe.
Pasta. I use egg noodles for this recipe as they cook really well in the instant pot. But penne, bowtie or any short pasta would work as well.
Salsa. Grab your favorite jar of salsa as it will help give a lot of flavor to this dish!
Taco seasoning. Make yourself a batch of homemade taco seasoning. It’s cheaper, has less additives and preservatives and you always have some on hand whenever you need it.
Chicken broth and water. Whenever I can I love using chicken broth for the extra flavor, but sometimes I cut the broth in half with a little water to cut down on the sodium and balance things out.
Crushed tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes
Onions and garlic
Shredded Mexican cheese blend
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
The Instant Pot has literally changed my way of cooking and given me so much freedom and time back in the kitchen. I can cook rice, potatoes, or even an entire meal like this one that comes out perfectly each time. Here’s how you make it!
Step One: Add a little oil to the bottom of your Instant Pot insert. Brown your ground turkey, chopped onions and minced garlic on the saute setting. Once ground turkey is completely browned, drain off any excess oil and return to the pot. (*tip-use 93% lean ground turkey so you don’t have to worry about draining a lot of excess fat.) Turn the saute setting off.
Step Two: This is where it gets really easy. Add your taco seasoning and mix with the ground turkey. Next dump in your crushed tomatoes and salsa. Gently stir. Then add in your pasta and chicken broth or water. Make sure pasta is mostly covered with the liquid.
Step Three: Close the lid and turn the pressure knob to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Allow a natural steam release for 2 minutes. Then quick release the rest of the steam. Carefully remove the lid and stir your taco pasta to make sure all of the ingredients are blended together well.
Step Four: Add milk and shredded cheese and stir to combine. Enjoy as is or top with some of your favorite toppings like sour cream, more cheese, salsa or fresh cilantro.
STORAGE TIPS + COMMON QUESTIONS
You can easily store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What type of Instant Pot do you have? - I have the Instant Pot Duo Nova. I've had it for several years now and I love it! It is a 7-in-1 appliance and I use the pressure cooker, saute function and rice cooker the most. I don’t think they make the Duo Nova version any more, so the Instant Pot Duo is the closest to the one I have.
What sizes does the Instant Pot come in? - You can find the Instant Pot most often in a 3qt, 6qt or 8qt size.
What is the best size Instant Pot for a family of 4? - The 6 quart is a great size for a family of 4-5. It’s the most popular size Instant Pot, it’s not too big and it doesn’t take up too much space on the countertop. If you have a family of 6 or more then I would go for the 8 quart size.
WANT MORE EASY INSTANT POT RECIPES?
The BEST Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Instant Pot Southwest Lentils and Brown Rice Bowl
Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. ground turkey*
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup salsa
- 8 oz. egg noodles (or any pasta)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on the sauté mode. Add a tablespoon of oil to the Instant Pot and sauté the chopped onions for 1 minute. Next add the minced garlic and ground turkey and cook until the ground meat is fully brown. After the ground turkey has finished cooking, drain off any excess oil and turn off the sauté mode.
- Next add the taco seasoning, salt, pepper and stir. Add the crushed tomatoes and salsa then gently stir.Â
- Now add the pasta noodles to the Instant Pot. Pour in your chicken broth on top of the noodles. Try to press the noodles down so they are mostly covered in the liquid the best you can.
- Add your Instant Pot lid (make sure the sealing ring is inserted) and turn the pressure valve to sealing (unless you have a lid that automatically seals for you). Pressure cook on high for 4 min. Allow the Instant Pot to do a natural pressure release for 2 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid. Allow the pasta to cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the milk and shredded cheese until the cheese is fully melted. Serve with extra cheese, salsa, sour cream, or your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Can substitute ground beef for ground turkey.
- Cook time does not include time for Instant Pot to reach pressure.
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