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Home » Dinner » Easy Taco Pasta Skillet with Brown Rice Pasta

Easy Taco Pasta Skillet with Brown Rice Pasta

Last Updated April 12, 2021. Published April 12, 2021 Good For You Gluten Free

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Easy Taco Pasta Skillet with Brown Rice Pasta
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My easy taco pasta skillet recipe is made in one large pot, uses fresh and pantry staple ingredients, including delicious brown rice pasta, and is ready in about 30 minutes. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

My teenage son, and tween daughter, are growing. And this means they’re eating a lot.

One of their favorite things to eat is leftovers – I often find them eating leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day. I honestly cannot make enough food these days. All leftovers are in their bellies before my husband or I even get a chance at them!

This is why my taco pasta skillet recipe is perfect. It feeds a crowd and always leaves us with plenty of leftovers to enjoy for several days.

Gluten-Free Taco Pasta Skillet - Good For You Gluten Free

What You Need

Before making this recipe, make sure you have a large non-stick skillet pan. I bought mine at Costco for $20 and use it constantly. It can hold up to 5 quarts of food.

If your pot is too small, it will bubble over or all the ingredients won’t fit. Remember, I said this recipe feeds a crowd, so it requires a bit pot!

This recipe requires a lot of ingredients, but you’ll see, all the ingredients are common and accessible ingredients. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1.5 lbs ground turkey or ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juices
  • 15 ounce can of corn, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup salsa
  • 16 ounce Tinkyada brown rice noodles
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
  • 1 avocado sliced
Ingredients for taco pasta skillet

The pasta brand you choose is very important. I have found that some gluten-free noodle brands have better texture than others.

One brown rice noodle brand that I almost exclusively use is called Tinkyada.

The Tinkyada brand has the worst website I’ve ever seen, no social media presence, and the company does almost no marketing that I’m aware of. But you can find these perfectly textured noodles at many grocery stores across the U.S., from Walmart to Kroger, Safeway and Sprouts. You can also get them on Amazon.

You can use any of the pasta shapes you desire, but I think this recipe works best with the elbow, shells or penne.

And because this recipe feeds a large family with plenty of leftovers, you’ll be using an entire 16-ounce bag of Tinkyada pasta.

If you use another brown rice pasta brand, measure out 16 ounces, and watch the cook time carefully. You may need to add more liquid (or maybe use less liquid) to get the perfect texture.

Taco pasta bowls with pot of taco pasta in background

How to Make Taco Pasta Skillet

Everything is going to cook in one pan, and you won’t have to remove anything from the pan during the cooking process.

Start by heating the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large 5-quart non-stick pan. Add ground turkey and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper, chili powder, cumin and salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and salsa and mix well.

ingredients for taco pasta in a pan

Next, add brown rice noodles and chicken broth. Continue to mix until all the ingredients are well combine. Bring the mixture to a boil before turning down the heat to a rolling boil (low). Cover and cook until the noodles are cooked al dente, about 10-15 minutes.

You’ll want to watch the cooking process and adjust the amount of liquid, as needed. If the noodles are not cooked enough, add more chicken broth and keep mixture at a rolling boil. There should be some liquid left in the pan when all is said and done. The extra liquid will thicken from the starch in the noodles and give the final dish a wonderful saucy texture.

You can also add more salt and pepper to taste, as well as top everything with fresh cilantro and slices of avocado (optional).

gluten-free taco pasta skillet with two serving bowls

Store leftovers in a sealed container in your fridge for up to four days. I often portion out the leftovers into these glass storage containers so everyone has a lunch ready for the next day.

Lots of Leftovers

As I mentioned before, this recipe makes a huge pot of food, perfect for feeding a crowd, meal planning, or planned leftovers.

You can portion it out into 8 glass containers and simply heat it for 1-2 minutes in your microwave before serving. I also pack it in my children’s lunch thermos and they take it to school the next day. My kids hate sandwiches and love warm leftovers for lunch.

up close on bowl of taco pasta skillet topped with cilantro and avocados

Substitutions and Additions

This recipe is quite forgiving, so feel free to add or omit ingredients as desired.

Meat: I like to use ground turkey, but you could also use ground beef. Make sure the meat is cooked through before adding all the other ingredients.

Pasta: See notes above about why I use Tinkyada brown rice pasta. I cannot guarantee the taste or texture if you use other gluten-free pasta brands.

Salsa: Use any salsa you like. I use the medium-spiced Kirkland brand salsa.

Broth: You can use chicken or vegetable broth. If you don’t have broth, you can use water. I recommend adding a bit more salt and pepper to your mixture if you’re using water in lieu of broth.

Spices: If you like it spicy, add more chili powder and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes. Also use a medium to hot salsa.

More Recipes Like This

You might also enjoy the following recipes:

  • Hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash
  • Asian Meatball Bowls

Taco Pasta Skillet with Brown Rice Pasta

This taco pasta skillet recipe makes a lot of pasta and is perfect for a hearty meal the entire family will enjoy – and leftovers for all the next day! Use the recommended brown rice noodles to ensure the perfect taste and texture.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mexican pasta, taco, taco noodle, taco pasta
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Jenny Levine Finke

Equipment

  • Large non-stick skillet pan with lid (5 quart)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1.5 lbs ground turkey or ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juices
  • 15 ounce can of corn drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can of black beans drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup salsa
  • 16 ounce Tinkyada brown rice noodles see notes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
  • 1 avocado sliced

Instructions

  • Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large 5-quart non-stick pan. Add ground turkey and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper, chili powder, cumin and salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and salsa and mix well, then add brown rice noodles and chicken broth. Mix well and bring mixture too a boil before turning down heat to a rolling boil (low). Cover and cook until the noodles are cooked al dente, about 10-15 minutes. If the noodles are not cooked enough, add more chicken broth and continue to cook at a rolling boil. There should be some liquid left in the pan (makes for a nice saucy texture) yet the noodles should be cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Top with fresh cilantro and slices of avocado, optional.

Notes

Noodles matter! I love using Tinkyada brown rice noodles (any shape, although I do love the shells and tubes best for this recipe). The noodles cook up perfectly every time. If you use a different pasta brand, monitor the cooking process closely and add more liquid if needed to get the just-right al dente texture.
Be sure all ingredients – salsa and chicken broth – are labeled gluten free.
Store leftovers in covered container in yoru fridge. This is a wonderful make-ahead meal that can be portioned out for several days. My entire family enjoys it for lunch the next day as it makes a hearty portion of food and feeds a crowd well.

Nutrition

Sodium: 1236mg | Calcium: 69mg | Vitamin C: 41mg | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Sugar: 7g | Fiber: 12g | Potassium: 987mg | Cholesterol: 47mg | Calories: 490kcal | Trans Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fat: 10g | Protein: 31g | Carbohydrates: 74g | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @GoodForYouGlutenFree or tag #goodforyouglutenfree!

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Hi, I'm Jenny Levine Finke and am passionate about the gluten-free lifestyle. I'm a certified integrative nutrition coach and self-taught expert on [most] gluten-free things. I have celiac disease and know the struggles you're going through first-hand. This is why I've dedicated this blog to serving the celiac and gluten sensitive communities with important information, product and restaurant reviews, and simple recipes I hope you'll love. Read More…

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