Taco Pasta

Yesterday evening while waiting for my son to wake up from his nap, I was browsing on Pinterest. I came across this pin for Taco Pasta. Noodles with a Mexican-style meat sauce. It looked so good and I hadn't had an actual home cooked dinner since my mom left a week ago. So I decided to quickly make a vegan version of it before Jack woke up.

I did not use a taco seasoning packet like in the original recipe. I never buy spice packets like that, too high in sodium and you never know what else in there exactly. Just make your own spice blend with your own fresh spices.

Taco Pasta

5 oz Penne 

Olive oil

1/2 white onion, chopped fine 

1 clove if garlic, minced 

1 package of vegan ground beef (I used Tofurky Ground Beef Style) 

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano 

1/2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp chili powder 

1 cup salsa (I used pico de gallo) 

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese ( I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese) 

1/2 cup vegan sour cream 

Vegan cheddar cheese, optional 

Cook the pasta according to the direction on the package. 

While that cooks, add a little olive oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium heat. 

Add the onions and sauté until soft. 

Add the garlic and the ground "beef". Cook until the "beef" is slightly browned. 

Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, and chili powder. Cook until fragrant.

Turn the heat to low. Add the salsa, cream cheese, and sour cream. Mix well and cook until heated through. 

Once the pasta is ready, drain and return to the pot. 

Add the "meat" sauce to the pasta and stir together well. 

Serve it up and add a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top if you wish.

Michael was really happy to have a home cooked meal and so was I. This was so filling and tasty after several says of frozen food and sandwiches. I love the tang from the sour cream.