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Easy Mexican Pasta Bake

serving mexican pasta

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 oohing and aahing 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.

Mexican Pasta before cheese

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

Mexican pasta dug into

and with a side of salsa or sour cream

serving mexican pasta
Freeze the other or divide and share with friends and family, they will thank you.  Trust me.

Candy Cane Truffles

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Medjool dates pitted & sliced in half (I like the ones from the produce department best, softer)
  • 1 cup raw almonds if you only have roasted, use those!
  • 2/3 cup dried cherries not sweetened with sugar
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life
  • 2 crushed candy canes plus 2 additional for final step
  • 1 t. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract or scrape one vanilla bean
  • 1/4 t. sea salt
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

  • In the bowl of food processor, add dates and process until they form a ball. Remove from the food processor.
  • Next, process cashews, cherries, chocolate chips and 2 candy canes until they are finely chopped. Stop before the cashews turn into a powder.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the dates, cashews, cherries, chocolate chips and candy canes. Add in the vanilla and sea salt. Mix very well with your hands until everything is well incorporated. This is like kneading dough. You'll have a very sticky mixture.
  • Roll into 24 equal sized balls. Roll each ball in cocoa powder. If you like a lighter coating, use a pastry brush to remove a bit of the cocoa powder. Finish by lightly pressing top into remaining 2 crushed candy canes.

Notes

These keep well in an air-tight container for 3 to 4 days, a week or so in the refrigerator and can also be frozen if you'd like to get a jump on your holiday food prep! This is one of my favorite on-the-go holiday snacks and they pack very well in a lunchbox. I tuck a few into my car for long days of holiday shopping. Enjoy!
Servings: 24 truffles
Author: Rachel

 

I’m linking up with Laurie

A few of my favorites from last week:

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! 🙂

 

I'm a deep-fried Southern belle, married to a cowboy boot wearin', Harley ridin’ Texan Prince Charming. I am the always proud and frequently exhausted mom to two 8th generation Texans My childhood was spent at my Granny's side learning to cook with cast iron, butter and that special southern ingredient -- love Today, I share my passion for food, family and photography with thousands of monthly readers on my blog, A Southern Fairytale. I love cute boots, my Canon camera, belly laughs with friends, the beach, my family and ellipses..."

31 Comments

  3. 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!

    Reply

  8. 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!

    Reply

  12. 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!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your idea of substituting cauliflower for the pasta! I’m gluten free also, and originally thought of GF pasta, but your lower carb idea is much better.

      Reply

  18. 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.

    Reply

  20. 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!

    Reply

  21. Congratulations to the new parents! I’m sure this pasta was enjoyed as much as it was appreciated.

    Reply

  22. 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!

    Reply

  23. 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

    Reply

    1. 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

      Reply

  25. 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!!

    Reply

    1. 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

      Reply

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