Beef Enchilada Pasta
35 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Not a traditional Mexican dish, this beef enchilada pasta is Tex-Mex comfort meets weeknight pasta, loaded with red enchilada sauce, tomatoes with green chiles, juicy ground beef, and a melty cheddar-Jack blanket.
Perfect for game night or a cozy family dinner, it comes out saucy and bold, seasoned with chili, cumin, garlic, and a touch of beef bouillon that makes everyone fight for seconds.
Ingredients (6 servings)
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Ingredients:
- 12 oz penne pasta penne pasta 12 oz
- 1 lb ground beef ground beef 1 lb
- 1 small yellow onion, diced yellow onions 0.21 lb small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced red bell pepper 1 ct
- 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce red enchilada sauce 10 oz (10 oz)
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained diced tomatoes with green chiles 1 can (10 oz)
- 1 tsp chili powder chili powder 0.08 oz
- 1 tsp granulated beef bouillon beef bouillon powder 0.14 oz
- ½ tsp ground cumin ground cumin 0.04 oz
- ½ tsp garlic powder garlic powder 0.05 oz
- ¾ tsp salt salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper black peppercorns (for black pepper)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese shredded cheddar cheese 7.5 oz
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 oz
How to Make Beef Enchilada Pasta
-
Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil and cook the penne until 1 minute shy of al dente according to package time.
Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain and set the pasta aside.
-
Brown the beef
Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high until hot, then add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until well browned with crispy edges.
Add the diced onion and red bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and the pepper is slightly tender.
If there is excessive grease, spoon off most, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan for flavor.
-
Bloom the seasonings
Sprinkle in the chili powder, beef bouillon, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and stir for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant.
Let the spices toast in the fat briefly to unlock deeper color and flavor.
-
Build the sauce
Pour in the red enchilada sauce and the drained diced tomatoes with green chiles and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.
Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens and tastes cohesive.
If it tightens too much, loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
-
Combine pasta and cheese
Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss so every piece is coated and glossy, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed.
Reduce the heat to low and fold in about 1 cup of the shredded cheddar and 1/4 cup of the Monterey Jack until silky.
-
Finish and serve
Scatter the remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack over the top, cover for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat, and let it melt into a gooey blanket.
Turn off the heat, rest 2 minutes so the sauce settles, then serve hot.
Substitutions
- Replace ground beef with Mexican chorizo
- Fresh chorizo brings smoky heat and juicy fat that clings to the pasta, giving you a richer, spicier bite, so ease up slightly on added salt to keep it balanced.
- Replace cheddar and Monterey Jack with Oaxaca or Asadero
- Both melt like a dream with a clean, milky pull, so the sauce stays smooth and stretchy without breaking into oil.
- Replace penne with rotini or medium shells
- The tighter spirals and cups trap more sauce and beef, delivering a saucier, more flavor-packed forkful in every bite.
Tips
- Salt the pasta water like you mean it
- Well seasoned water is your first chance to make the pasta taste good on its own, which means less compensating later.
- Brown hard for real flavor
- Let the beef sit undisturbed long enough to develop deep browning and fond, then scrape it up with the sauce for built-in savory complexity.
- Bloom spices in fat
- Thirty seconds of toasting chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and bouillon in hot fat wakes up their aroma and prevents a raw, dusty taste.
- Use starchy pasta water as your secret weapon
- A few tablespoons at a time emulsify the cheese and sauce into a glossy coating that hugs the pasta instead of puddling.
- Shred cheese from the block
- Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy, while freshly shredded melts smoother and cleaner.
- Finish gently to avoid greasy separation
- Keep the heat low when adding cheese and stop as soon as it melts so the fats do not break out of the sauce.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 564 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 39 | g |
| Total Fat | 33 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My sauce is too thin, how do I fix it?
- Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, then stir in a small handful of cheese or a splash of pasta water to tighten and emulsify.
- The dish is not spicy enough, what can I add?
- Stir in a teaspoon of minced chipotle in adobo or a pinch of cayenne during the simmer, then taste and adjust in small increments.
- Can I use gluten-free pasta?
- Yes, cook it a minute under al dente and add it to the sauce right away because gluten-free shapes soften faster and need a gentler finish.
- Why did my cheese turn grainy or greasy?
- High heat and anti-caking agents are the culprits, so use freshly shredded cheese and melt it off heat or on low until just smooth.
- How can I stretch this for more servings without losing flavor?
- Fold in a drained can of black beans or a cup of corn and add a splash of pasta water plus a pinch more chili powder to keep the sauce balanced.
- Can I make it ahead and reheat?
- Yes, cool quickly, refrigerate up to 3 days, and reheat gently with a splash of water on low heat, stirring until the sauce loosens and turns glossy again.
Serving Suggestions
A quick squeeze of lime, a shower of scallions or cilantro, and a few pickled jalapenos wake the whole pan up with brightness and crunch.
Pair it with a simple romaine salad tossed in a lime-cilantro vinaigrette and a cold Mexican lager, or go cozy with charred corn topped with cotija and a dusting of chili powder.
More pairings:
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