Ingredients
– 1 tablespoon olive or cooking oil
– ½ medium diced onion
– 1 pound lean ground beef
– 1 teaspoon minced garlic
– 2 tablespoons taco spices (or to taste)
– ½ medium diced red bell pepper
– 1.5 cups beef broth
– ½ cup water (plus more as needed)
– 1 can diced tomatoes (not drained)
– 8 ounces tomato sauce (low sodium preferred)
– 3 cups medium shells pasta
– 1 cup cottage cheese (ricotta or cream cheese can substitute)
– 1 cup shredded cheese (three-cheese blend)
– 1 cup mozzarella cheese
– 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
Instructions
1-Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2-Add the diced onion and ground beef, breaking the meat apart, and cook until the onions are translucent; season with salt and pepper as desired.
3-Stir in the minced garlic, taco spices, and diced red bell pepper.
4-Add the beef broth, water, diced tomatoes (with their liquid), tomato sauce, and pasta shells.
5-Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and cook according to the pasta package directions while stirring gently to avoid sticking.
6-Once the pasta is cooked and the beef reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, remove from heat.
7-Stir in the cottage cheese, shredded cheeses, and drained black beans, then cover and keep warm until serving.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
⏱️ Use pre-diced onion and peppers to speed up prep.
🍝 Substitute pasta types such as whole wheat or chickpea for variety.
🫘 Drain canned beans well to reduce sodium and improve flavor.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Simmering, One-pot cooking
- Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
- Diet: Omnivore
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1082 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg