Easy Instant Pot Taco Pasta

By Kristen Chidsey | Leave a Comment | Published June 18, 2022 | Updated June 17, 2022 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Instant Pot Taco Pasta is an all-in-one, cheesy, hearty pasta dish flavored like classic tacos. Made with inexpensive ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes, this taco-flavored pasta is sure to become a family favorite.

By popular request, I took my recipe for Taco Pasta and converted it to be an Instant Pot recipe! This instant pot version is just as good as the original recipe but requires less hands-on time–making Instant Pot Taco Pasta the perfect weeknight meal.

This recipe for Instant Pot Taco Pasta is very similar to Instant Pot Hamburger Helper, with one key difference. It tastes like tacos! And who doesn’t love tacos?!

Flavored with taco seasoning and salsa, and finished with cheese and sour cream, Instant Pot Taco Pasta is downright delicious. It is cheesy, creamy, and hearty. A true favorite.

Notes On Ingredients

• Meat: Use lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken, or omit the meat altogether.
• Broth: Use low-sodium beef broth or vegetable broth, along with water to cook the pasta. The broth will help to add additional flavor to the pasta as it cooks.
• Taco Seasoning: Use homemade taco seasoning to control the sodium and additives, or your favorite store-bought packet of taco seasoning.
• Tomato Sauce: Used canned plain tomato sauce, not spaghetti sauce.
• Salsa: Salsa is one of my favorite short-cut ingredients, as it already has diced onions, peppers, and seasonings. It will help to add flavor to the taco pasta without the need for sauteeing onions, jalapenos, or peppers. Use your favorite jarred, not fresh, salsa for the best consistency.
• Pasta: You can use whole wheat or regular noodles. You want to choose a pasta that will cling to the meat and sauce, like elbow noodles, shell pasta, or rotini noodles.
• Sour Cream: The addition of sour cream is optional, but makes the taco pasta super creamy and helps to tame the level of spice.
• Cheese: Use cheddar, Monterrey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend. Pro-Tip: Grate the cheese yourself, as it will melt more evenly than bagged shredded cheese.

Optional Ingredients

• Beans: After the pasta has pressured cooked, feel free to add up to 32 ounces of canned beans that have been rinsed and drained. Pinto, red, or black beans, are all great options.
• Corn: Adding up to 2 cups of defrosted corn kernels adds a nice sweet flavor to this Instant Pot Taco Pasta. Add the corn to the pasta when adding the cheese and sour cream, as it just needs to warm through.
• Toppings: Taco Pasta has enough flavor, you can serve it plain. However, I do love topping as I would tacos with things like avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, sour cream, olives, etc. The toppings add a nice fresh flavor, along with textural interest.

How to Make Instant Pot Taco Pasta

• If you are beginning this recipe with ground meat, you need to first saute the meat in a bit of oil using the saute function of your pressure cooker, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.
• Once the meat is fully browned, turn off the Instant Pot by hitting cancel.

• If needed, drain off any fat from the meat and return the inner pot to the Instant Pot.
• Add in the broth and scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot. Any time you saute ANYTHING in the Instant Pot, this is a crucial step, as it will prevent a burn notice–and those little bits also add flavor to your final dish.
• Add in the water and taco seasoning and stir to combine.
• Add in the elbow noodles and gently push down the noodles into the liquid to submerge. This will help the noodles to evenly cook.
• To further season our Taco Pasta, top the noodles with both salsa and tomato sauce. You don’t want to stir the tomato sauce or salsa into the noodles, just leave it right on the top of the noodles–that will also help prevent a burn notice.

• Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
• Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for exactly 5 minutes. This will ensure your noodles are PERFECTLY cooked.
• After 5 minutes, you want to release the pressure by using a long wooden spoon, or a pot holder, and knock the vent knob from the sealed to the venting position. And stand back, so you don’t get burned.

• Open up the Instant Pot and add in the cheese and sour cream if using. At this time, you can also add in corn or beans if desired.
• Give everything a good stir to incorporate and then place the lid back on the Instant Pot.

• Let everything sit for 5 minutes to warm through.
• Serve the taco pasta plain or top as you would tacos, with tomato, avocado, additional cheese, cilantro, olives, sour cream, etc.

Recipe Modifications

This recipe for Instant Pot Taco Pasta is not only incredibly simple to make but versatile. It can easily be made dairy-free, vegetarian, and even vegan-friendly.

• Vegetarian Instant Pot Taco Pasta: Omit the meat from this recipe and use vegetable broth in place of the beef broth. Layer the broth, water, taco seasoning, and noodles in the inner pot. Top with salsa and tomato sauce and pressure cook as directed. After the pressure has been released add 16-32 ounces of canned, rinsed beans, along with the cheese and sour cream. The beans will add protein, and fiber, and keep this dish hearty even without the meat.
• Dairy-Free Taco Pasta: Simply omit the cheese and sour cream from the recipe, or use dairy-free alternatives. To add a creamy, rich element to the dish, I would suggest topping with guacamole or diced avocado.
• Make it Vegan: Omit the meat, cheese, and sour cream from the recipe for Instant Pot Taco Pasta and use vegetable broth in place of the beef broth. Layer the broth, water, taco seasoning, and noodles in the inner pot. Top with salsa and tomato sauce and pressure cook as directed. After the pressure has been released add 16-32 ounces of canned, rinsed beans and serve with guacamole or diced avocado.
• Money-Saving Tip: If you would like to still add meat while cutting costs, use ½ pound of ground meat instead of a full pound. This dish will still be hearty, but you can cut back on the cost.
• Use Leftovers. If you happen to have leftover taco meat, use it in place of the browned meat and omit the taco seasoning from this recipe. Layer the leftover taco meat with noodles, broth, and water in the inner pot. Top with salsa and tomato sauce and cook as directed. You will save time making this recipe AND reinvent your leftovers into something delicious.

More All-In-One Instant Pot Recipes

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If you tried this Instant Pot Taco Pasta, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below, letting everyone know how much you enjoyed this simple recipe.