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There’s something so comforting about a home cooked meal.
This past week I made this pasta for friends of mine who just adopted the most beautiful little baby boy. Every new parent deserves the joy and luxury of having friends and family provide meals, while ooing and aaahing over their new addition.
This pasta is wholesome, healthy, filling, delicious and super simple.
Lean ground beef, whole wheat pasta, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion, chili powder, bell pepper, jalapenos (opt) and tabasco (opt) and mixed cheeses come together to create a wonderfully flavorful, filling and simple pasta.
The garlic, onion, bell peppers and jalapenos are cooked over medium high heat until they sweat and release their flavors, then the ground beef and seasonings are added and cooked.
While the ground beef and veggies are cooking, the pasta cooks, the beans and corn are rinsed and then once everything is finished cooking, it all gets mixed together and prepped for freezing, storing or baking.
Top the one ready to bake with cheese and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the edges of the cheese are crispy golden brown and bubbling.
Serve hot and fresh, topped with fresh cilantro
and with a side of salsa or sour cream
Freeze the other or divide and share with friends and family, they will thank you. Trust me.[/donotprint]
Ingredients
- 1 box Barilla Pasta Plus Penne
- 1 large onion, rough chop
- 1 red bell pepper, rough chop
- 1 yellow bell pepper, rough chop
- 1 orange bell pepper, rough chop
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 - 6 Tbsp Cumin
- 4 tsp Oregano (dried)
- 4 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained and rinsed
- 2 jalapenos, minced (optional)
- 1 1/2 to 2 lb 93/7 ground beef
- 1 (28 oz) can Hunts diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
- 4 C Mexican Blend Cheese (2 C for each pan. If you freeze one pan, do not add cheese)
- Fresh Cilantro for garnishing
- Tabasco - a few dashes per your taste preferences
- Olive Oil or 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Chop, mince and dice: garlic, onion, bell peppers and jalapenos
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil or 2 Tbsp butter
- Saute onion, garlic, jalapenos and bell peppers over medium-high heat until all nice and sweaty and your house smells ridiculously delicious
- Add in ground beef and spices, stir and cook until ground beef is fully cooked
- While meat is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions (about 15 minutes between boiling water and cooking time)
- Drain ground beef and put in a LARGE mixing bowl
- Add in drained beans, corn, tomatoes and drained pasta - mix it up really well
- Add in some Tabasco (start with a few dashes and taste test {it's a hard life, really} until it's how you want it)
- Divide among two 9X13 pans or four smaller -- or however you want them divided.
- COVER with cheese and bake at 350 until cheese is golden and bubbly around the edges. If you do not cook right away - heat the casserole through, then top with cheese and bake.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro
I’m linking up with Laurie 
- If you like this, you’ll love Aggie’s Mexican Pasta Toss
A few of my favorites from last week:
- Campfire Baked Apples
- Deep Fried Stuffed Peppers
- Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies
- Pizza On The Grill
Thanks for linking up your recipe! I love seeing what y’all are sharing with your families this week. Don’t forget to link back, comment, share the love and visit at least 3 other participants! 
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Looks delicious!
I’ve been scouting out freezer-friendly recipes, I’m trying to stock up for when the baby comes, and this would be perfect. Plus, it’s so pretty!
Happy Mouthwatering Monday!
This is such a great casserole recipe – I love the flavours and it is so versatile as well. I like that it makes two so you can either share or make ahead as well! Thank you for another wonderful recipe, and for hosting. Have a lovely week!
HI Rachel,
I shared a video demonstration of how to make homemade almond flour and two articles I hope you enjoy!
Rachel, Thanks for hosting! I love your pasta recipe. Looks like something my family would surely enjoy! Thanks,
Aimee
I love meals like this! I know we would love it, thanks!
Good Morning,
I linked up my Tiramisu Trifle. Thanks for hosting!
Hi Rachael,
Your Mexican Pasta Bake looks delicious, we would really enjoy that dish, you know how us Texans are about our Mexican Food. I am sharing my Green Chili Burger today for the party. Thank you for hosting and have a wonderful week!
I cannot wait to make this. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It looks so delicious.
That sounds so good! I’m sure my family would love it!
Thanks so much for the linky!
I love sharing – and finding new inspiration!!! I linked up my rutabaga soup, which is deee-licious!
Looking forward to stopping by next week!
Thanks!
Carla at Mrs. No-No Knows
http://www.twitter.com/mrsnonoknows
http://www.facebook.com/mrsnonoknows
The flavors of your casserole sound great! I eat gluten free and I don’t eat a lot of carbs anyway so my first thought is that this could be made with pieces of cauliflower instead of pasta. Yum!
I shared my recipe for Artichoke And Cauliflower Soup. I was really trying to make this soup with all vegies but it still needed more flavor so I garnished it with a little bit of finely chopped peppered salami. That was just what it needed!
Thanks for hosting!
Mexican and pasta! You can’t go wrong!
I love this recipe! It’s everything I already have in my kitchen & sounds super easy. Thanks for sharing
This looks so good, I’m totally trying this very soon.
OHMIGOODNESS. You said the magic words, “easy and quick”. It looks awesome!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing (and hosting). I’m sharing our latest muffin recipe for cheddar bacon breakfast muffins — enjoy!
Wish you and yours a wonderful week, ~Lisa
Does this look fantastic or what???? Can’t wait to make this and freeze leftovers. How great is that! Maybe have a little guacamole with sour cream on top. Thank you for another great recipe that is quick, easy and good.
Rachel, Thanks for visiting and commenting on my link.
What’s NOM?
Hey Lisa!
Nom, as in Nommy – delicioius – Nom is the sound some people make when they devour something truly yummy 
Thanks.
Of course, it had to be something like that…
Blessings to you!
I’ve made something similar recently and the family loved it! Need to make some more, maybe even this week, since my 17yr old brother is staying with us. Cheap + Filling = Win!
Congratulations to the new parents! I’m sure this pasta was enjoyed as much as it was appreciated.
Thanks for hosting! That dinner looks delicious! Mexican and pasta together can’t be anything but good! I shared patriotic mini layer cakes for 4th of July! Enjoy!
Oh girl this looks so good! Aannnnd…we are on the same wave length for sure, the pasta toss I made was inspired by an old pasta bake very similar to this I’ve made before! Pasta + Mexican! Genius and so delicious!
What a great meal to bring to your friends! Thanks so much for the link love! <3
You’re so welcome, Aggie!
I know! Mexican and Pasta is SUCH a delicious win! I’ve been making some version of this for years and finally decided to write it down and share
Great minds think alike
xo
I was just trying to figure out what to eat tonight. I think I found it!
Hi Rachel,
I made the Mexican Pasta Bake for dinner yesterday. It’s a keeper, but I think I’d tweak it a little… maybe instead of cumin, I’d use a packet of taco seasoning and a little water, add some salsa with the tomatoes and maybe layer the cheese inside, too. Will try it again, Thanks!!
Hi Lise, Glad you enjoyed it.
One of the great things about this recipe is how it’s so easily converted and changed to make it more to your family’s palate.
Thanks for stopping back by! Rachel