Food & Recipes
Easy Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake
Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake made with pantry staples of pasta, crushed tomato, and ground beef. This super easy Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for weeknight dinner option when you’re in a hurry to get a good meal on the table.
Easy Enchilada Pasta Bake
It’s a little after midnight, the kids are off to bed. I am left here with my thoughts and my second or possibly a third helping of dinner, Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake. That’s what we had tonight. It’s the second time this month that I am making these and at this point, I am guessing my family is wondering why this keeps showing up on the menu every week. The answer is simple – it’s easy and no matter what’s going on I can make it with my eyes closed. It’s one of those dishes that can be pulled together with minimal effort and using items we already have in our pantry.
Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake
Enchilada Pasta
What makes this enchilada pasta bake stand out is the fact that it’s quick and easy. I mean who doesn’t enjoy having dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Tips, Tricks, FAQ
- Make it ahead of time and refrigerate or put it in the freezer till you’re ready
- Add Chorizo sausages to the meat mixture to give it a nice kick
- Add more cheese for a cheesy delicious
- Use whatever pasta you have on hand but I highly recommend large ridged elbow Macaroni, Rotini, Penne, or Gemelli. Cook the pasta according to the box but make sure it’s al dente. If you’re on a time crush, you can use those quick-cooking pasta which cuts your cooking time by 5 or so minutes.
Ingredients you need for Pasta Bake
- Olive oil & butter – add flavor and both are needed to avoid the ground beef being stuck while being sauteed
- Ground beef – added for protein, if you’re vegan you can leave this out and still enjoy the meal
- Crushed tomatoes – we used can tomatoes but you can use fresh tomatoes if you have those on hand
- Garlic – added for flavor because why not
How to make Beef Enchilada Pasta Bake – steps-by-steps
Shop products –
Stainless Steel Dishwasher Safe Colander, 3-Quart, Silver
11 Colorful Silicone Kitchen Cookware with Spatula Set Tri-Ply Stainless Steel, Professional-Grade, 10-Piece
other pasta recipes you might like –
Variations
- Meatless Enchilada Pasta Bake: Omit the ground beef
- Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake: Replace ground beef with ground chicken or turkey
- Vegetarian Enchilada Pasta Bake: Omit the ground beef. Add mushrooms to steps 3 then cook until ingredients are softened. Then continue with the rest of the directions
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- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Onion, diced
- 1lb ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Chilli Powder
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28-oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
- 8 oz Queso Fresco
- 2 cups Cheese, shredded
- 1lb uncooked pasta
- Place the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir constantly.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute, then add the ground beef, cumin, and chili powder.
- Cook the ground beef until completely browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain. (Do not rinse.)
- Add the crushed tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and queso fresco to the cooked ground beef.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Add in the pasta, stir to coat with the meat sauce and then cover the entire dish with shredded cheese.
- Remove from heat and serve with your favorite enchilada-inspired toppings.
