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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Recipes

    Instant Pot Taco Pasta

    August 21, 2022 by Marsha Leave a Comment

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    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!

    Instant Pot taco pasta in a white bowl with sour cream and green onion toppings

    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.

    instant pot taco pasta in a white bowl with sour cream topping overhead shot in

    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?

    Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

    The BEST Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

    Instant Pot Southwest Lentils and Brown Rice Bowl

    Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

    Easy Instant Pot Chili

    Print
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    instant pot taco pasta in a white bowl with sour cream topping overhead shot in

     INSTANT POT TACO PASTA


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    • Author: Marsha
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 6 1x
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    Description

    This Instant Pot Taco Pasta recipe combines Mexican flavors with pasta and just a few other ingredients to make a delicious, flavorful easy meal!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
    • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning 
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • 1 cup salsa
    • 1-14 oz can crushed tomatoes
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 8 oz of egg noodles or pasta
    • ¼ cup milk or heavy cream
    • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

    Instructions

    1. Turn your Instant Pot on the Saute mode. Add a tablespoon of oil to the Instant Pot insert and saute chopped onions for 1 minute. Next add minced garlic and ground turkey and cook until ground meat is fully brown. After ground turkey has finished cooking, drain off any excess oil and turn off the saute mode.
    2. Next add your taco seasoning, salt, pepper and stir. Add the crushed tomatoes and salsa, gently stir. 
    3. Now add your 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.
    4. 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 Instant Pot to do a natural pressure release for 2 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
    5. Carefully remove the lid. Add your milk and shredded cheese. (I like to allow the taco pasta to cool just a few minutes after I take the lid off before I add the milk & cheese).
    6. Stir to combine and enjoy!

    Notes

    Cook time does not include time for Instant Pot to reach pressure.

    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 20 min

    Keywords: instant pot taco pasta, instant pot recipe, instant pot

    Did you make this recipe?

    Be sure to leave a RATING and a COMMENT down below! I love hearing your feedback. You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @maplejubilee!

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    Marsha McDougal about profile picture

    Hey there, I'm Marsha and welcome to Maple Jubilee! I love creating simple, delicious recipes that are easy to make for busy families! I'm a wife, mom of 3 kiddos, retired Corporate professional, and now full time recipe developer & blogger!

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