Southwestern Baked Pasta

A creamy, cheesy pasta bake loaded with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and a hint of Southwestern spice.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 35 min
• Total: 50 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: American
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $2.84/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• one-pot
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 1 bell pepper (diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces, undrained)
• 1 can black beans (15 ounces, rinsed and drained)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 8 ounce elbow macaroni (or similar small pasta)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cup shredded cheese blend (cheddar and Monterey Jack, divided)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion and bell pepper; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add diced tomatoes (undrained), rinsed and drained black beans, frozen corn, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta, sour cream, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese blend. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet or transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese blend.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
8. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

This dish reheats well and can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bake an extra 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 610
• Protein: 28.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.3 g
• Fat: 28.1 g
• Fiber: 10.5 g
• Sodium: 880 mg
• Saturated Fat: 14.2 g
• Sugar: 7.3 g
• Cholesterol: 65 mg