Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you had a nice weekend!
It was absolutely gorgeous ’round these parts, so Ben and I spent some time outdoors and went out to eat at a couple of fun places, including A Dong (actual name) where I tried Pho for the first time. It was PHOnomenol!
Sorry. We spent the majority of our lunch coming up with hilarious Pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup pronounced “fuh”) restaurant names and taglines, and that was pretty much the only thing clean enough to share on the blog. My Grandma reads this, y’all!
Anyways! My in-laws also got into town from the East coast, and are staying with us for the week, so we’ve been having fun catching up. :)
Most people are surprised to learn that entertaining actually turns me into a NERVOUS NELLY. Don’t get me wrong, I adore having relatives and friends stay over – making up the guest bed with fresh sheets, setting out fluffy towels, and stocking the Keurig carousel – but I panic when it comes time to think about what to feed everybody.
What if I make the one thing they hate? What if it tastes terrible? What if they get sick? Eek!
Don’t even get me started on throwing a dinner party. I’d rather have rickets!
So, what’s a desperate entertainer to do when she’s got a crowd to feed? Make a bake, of course!
Featuring homemade taco seasoning, lean ground beef, plus taco and pantry staples like tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, pasta, cheese, and tortilla chips, Taco Pasta Bake is filling, satisfying, and will have your guests feeling right at home.
While a bake or casserole isn’t ground-breaking or gourmet by any means, they’re total crowd pleasers. When’s the last time you saw someone disappointed by a hot, bubbly casserole being plunked down in front of ’em?
Better yet, Taco Pasta Bake is easy and ready in about 40 minutes with lots of downtime while the dish basically sautes, simmers, and bakes itself.
Start by sauteing lean ground beef (I used 90/10 and broke it up with a potato masher when it was still raw) with chopped onion, then stir in homemade taco seasoning, canned tomato sauce and petite diced tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, then stir in shredded cheddar cheese and cooked macaroni shells.
Finally, stir in slightly spicy chopped green chilies, and frozen or fresh corn (no need to thaw, even!) then pour the mixture into a baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes, top with crunchy crushed tortilla chips and a bit more cheddar cheese, then bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly, about another 10 minutes.
Top with fresh salsa, tomatoes, green onions, or sour cream. Now THIS is entertaining made easy!
Taco Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 recipe homemade taco seasoning link in notes below
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- few dashes hot sauce optional
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1-1/2 cups corn kernels frozen then thawed, fresh, or canned
- 4 oz can chopped green chiles
- 8 oz gluten-free or regular macaroni shells cooked and drained (dish will not be GF if using regular pasta)
- 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
- Toppings: chopped tomatoes, salsa, sliced olives, green onions, sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain then return to the skillet. Add water, homemade taco seasoning, salt, tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, and hot sauce then stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium low then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook macaroni shells in salted, boiling water until just under al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Turn stove off then add 1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese to the tomato mixture and stir until smooth. Add corn, chilies, and cooked shells, then stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish then bake for 10 minutes. Top with crushed tortilla chips and remaining cheese then bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Zesty, cheesy, hearty – my inlaws and I each devoured a big bowl of bake for lunch.
The crushed tortilla chips on top were our favorite part. I used Tostitos Multigrain Scoops which are thicker and have a more satisfying crunch than regular tortilla chips. Highly recommend!
Believe it or not, another low-stress idea for entertaining is making homemade pizza! My pizza crust recipe is so fool-proof and easy that I know I can count on it to turn out every time. Then everyone can pick and choose what they want on their pie which means they’re (pretty much) guaranteed to love it.
I guess we’ll find out tonight though. I’ve got a few dough balls rising for supper as we speak! :D
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Do you like entertaining and hosting?
Julie 08.07.2012
Yum! Looks good and the best part about it is I know my boyfriend will eat it! He gets a little cranky when I try to cook vegetarian meals! Have fun with the in-laws :)
Chelsea @ Chelsea Eats Treats 08.07.2012
Ahh good luck!! I hate cooking for a crowd too. I get all stressed about trying to make sure they are comfortable and have what they want and sometimes neglect what’s going on in the kitchen. The WORST is when they come in to talk to me while I’m cooking. How can I make eye contact, laugh when they tell me a funny story, and keep my roasted veggies from burning??? AH! Good luck this week lol
Sloane @ Life Food and Beer 08.07.2012
When I first started cooking in High School, I made something like this using Velveeta Shells and Cheese. Then I realized how bad Velveeta was so you and never made it again. This seems healthier and I’m sure my Fiance would love it too.
Michelle 08.06.2012
Love your PHO-to on instagram hehe and this recipe looks delic:-)
Laura 08.06.2012
I made this tonight for dinner…it was a hit with my family!
Mary 08.06.2012
Vietnamese food is amazing, isn’t it? I just went for Pho last week! Mastering the chopsticks with noodle soup is difficult! The best I’ve ever had though was a traditional place in northern Thailand. Fresh spring rolls, but it’s done family style. All the ingredients come out and you assemble your own each to your liking. We were also able to make up our own dipping sauces. Spicy or peanuty or sweet! You should see if A Dong has something similar. Also, since traveling in Vietnam my husband keeps Dong (their currency) in his wallet just so he can say, “Is that Dong in my wallet?!”
Kristen 08.06.2012
Homemade taco seasoning! This dish sounds great. I think I’d use ground turkey instead as soon as there’s a cooler night ahead. Thanks!
karenc 08.06.2012
Mmmmmm…I pinned this one for sure!
Andrea 08.06.2012
Mexican is a weekly to twice weekly night in my house. Will have to try this soon, it looks great!
I stress out like crazy about entertaining! I’d love to host a game night or dinner party but it always seems like so much more stress than fun.
Emily 08.06.2012
Love your blog! It’s great to see HyVee and other “local” labels!!! Obviously, I’m also an Iowan.
Maura @ My Healthy 'Ohana 08.06.2012
I’ve been seeing tons of taco pasta recipes on the web lately, yours looks delicious!! I love having people over, but it does stress me out beforehand. My husband knows to steer clear of me in the hours right before people come over :) Definitely something I need to work on, because I’d love to just relax and enjoy the process of preparing a nice meal for family/friends!
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio 08.06.2012
No joke, I was just looking for Taco Pasta dish recipes. Too awesome!
I love entertaining, especially during the fall/winter/football season!
Lindsey 08.06.2012
Everyone loves Mexican! Especially me… :)
Fallon 08.06.2012
Yum looks delicious! I’ve been on such a pasta kick too. I can’t wait for winter.
Kim | At Home With Kim 08.06.2012
I just pinned this and cannot wait to make it for my family! Looks perfect for a quick meal as things get busy again this fall. And I love the way you adjusted the recipe to keep it Clean. Glad to have discovered your blog….
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles 08.06.2012
The boyfriend request Mexican night at least once a week – this clearly has to make it’s way into the rotation :-) Looks so good!
STACY 08.06.2012
This looks super yummy! I tried to pin it but it was apparently having difficulties. I can’t wait to try this – your recipes are always excellent.
Nicole N 08.06.2012
This looks delicious (and good for picky eaters)! I love entertaining, by my biggest fear is that no one will have anything to talk about, and we’ll all sit around in dead silence the entire time. It’s never happened before, but I can’t help worrying about it!
Katie @ Blonde Ambition 08.06.2012
You really can’t go wrong with that blend of seasonings! So yummy!
Jill 08.06.2012
I’ve been on this CRAZY Mexican kick for the past few weeks and this is perfect! Can’t wait to try it :)