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.
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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).
One Pot Wonder Southwest Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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.
Bree says
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
Michelle says
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!!!!
Kathryn Grace says
That looks easy and delicious!
Jessica says
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!
Kayla says
This was awesome and super easy! I added chorizo and cilantro. Will definitely make this again soon. Thanks!!
sandra says
Have you tried making this in a slow cooker?
milli09 says
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
Rachel says
This was ASTONISHINGLY easy. I thought it would turn into a Pinterest fail when I saw how little liquid there seemed to be, but it was PERFECT. I used gluten-free pasta (a chickpea-based one) and it was done within about 8 minutes, and the pasta held up really well. Definitely adding to the rotation for a quick weeknight/busy night recipe!
Kayleigh says
Very yummy recipe! I added extra taco seasoning, eyeballed the amount of broth put in, and added ground beef and me and my husband are loving it!
Beth says
I used chicken sausage and no beans. We loved it!! Thank you will definitely make again.
Jill Rowan says
This is sooo amazing! I used water instead of Broth. And added red peppers and jalapeños 👌