Southwestern Recipes
Mexican Pasta Bake
Sprinkle this hearty tomato- and cheese-topped casserole with chopped fresh cilantro for bright color and fresh flavor.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (8 ounces)
- 1 cup Green Giant Niblets frozen whole kernel corn
- 1 (24 ounce) jar Old El Paso Thick 'n Chunky salsa
- 1 (15 ounce) can Progresso black beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 1/3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (6 ounces)
- 2 medium Roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 4 quart casserole.
- Cook beef in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.
- Cook and drain pasta in 4 quart Dutch oven as directed on package. Return pasta to Dutch oven. Stir in beef, corn, salsa and beans. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into casserole. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of the cheese. Spoon remaining pasta mixture into casserole. Place tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Cover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
Notes
Did You Know...Rigatoni are short-cut (about 1 inch long), wide, tubular pasta with lengthwise grooves. The grooves and tube shape make it a perfect partner for chunky sauces.
Health Twist: Replace ground beef with ground turkey breast to lighten the calorie count of this dish.
Nutrition
Per serving: Calories 435 (Calories from Fat 125 ); Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 7g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 700mg; Total Carbohydrate 59g (Dietary Fiber 8g); Protein 27g
Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 28%; Iron 26%
Exchanges: 4 Starch; 2 Lean Meat
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from:
Betty Crocker