One Pot Wonder Southwest Pasta – Dinner in under 30 minutes in one pot! Pasta, black beans, corn, and bell peppers are spiced up with Rotel and taco seasoning. It’s an easy vegetarian meal.
I’m obsessed with this one pot method for cooking pasta. And it seems like everyone else is too since my other one pot wonder recipes have been shared/pinned HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of times (Pasta Con Broccoli, Chicken Lo Mein).
If you are not familiar with the one pot wonder method, you simply put uncooked pasta, veggies, seasoning, and broth into a large pot, cover it, and let it cook for about 12-15 minutes. That’s it! The pasta absorbs the cooking liquid and creates an almost creamy sauce.
This southwest style pasta gets a spicy kick from a can of Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies) and taco seasoning. Sweet corn kernels and bell pepper provide a nice contrast of flavors.
This dish is healthy without tasting like health food. It has lots of veggies, black beans, and whole wheat pasta so it’s packed with vitamins/minerals and fiber. If you’re not a fan of whole wheat pasta, regular pasta can be substituted.
The main protein source in this pasta is canned black beans. So, it’s perfect for vegetarians and those people that practice Meatless Mondays (going vegetarian one day a week).
- 1 (13.5 oz.) box of whole wheat rotini or any pasta you like
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 (15 oz.) can Rotel canned tomatoes and chilies, I used the Mexican blend with lime and cilantro
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning, I used Old El Paso, medium
- 1 tsp. salt*
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup Mexican cheese blend, plus more for topping (Optional)
- Add all but the last 2 ingredients (beans and cheese) to a large pot. Stir, cover, and bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot when it is done.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans and cheese (optional). Let it rest for 5 minutes to warm the beans, melt the cheese, and absorb the excess liquid.
*if the taco seasoning you use contains a lot of salt, you may want to reduce this
Thought I’d leave a few comments – the broth you use really matters in this recipe. I made it with the Trader Joes broth, which is really intense, so I would use half of a very strong broth and half water.
I also used diced canned tomatoes and fire roasted green chillies, and cajun seasoning instead of taco seasoning.
I’d say these adjustments worked very well… I would caution not to add extra salt because when I did, the dish became a bit unbearable.
Good job to the author, and I would recommend that whoever tries this recipe tries it in various forms before they find a mix that works best for them! Recipes like these are great for finishing up whatever you have on hand
Have you tried making this in a slow cooker?
This was awesome and super easy! I added chorizo and cilantro. Will definitely make this again soon. Thanks!!
I made this yesterday with quesodillas as a side. Big hit with me and the husband not so much the kids haha
I did change a few things – i cooked the onion and peppers in the pot before adding everything else, also i used salsa instead of the tomatoes. Worked great! We always have salsa in the house – i didn’t want to go to the store haha
Definitely just as good if not better the second day!
That looks easy and delicious!
I will be adding a little cream cheese in at the end to give it a little more creaminess!!! Can’t wait to try it!!!!
OMG, I never leave comments on recipe websites but I have to for this
I just finished cooking this and holy shit balls its so amazing! i didn’t put cheese in because i’m vegan but it is that good it really isn’t missed. i can’t wait to share this with my friends and family. its a perfect flavour and consistency
Does it keep well? i want to freeze some of it for lunches