Whenever I'm in a hurry, I love making one-pot pasta recipes with minimal mess in under 20 minutes. So today, I made a one-pot enchilada pasta recipe that turned out exactly as planned. Even though I love my Vegan Enchiladas, vegan enchilada pasta is quick and easy and a family favorite.
So, on those busy nights, instead of grabbing an unhealthy quick fix, make one pan enchilada pasta in under 20 minutes.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN ENCHILADA PASTA RECIPE?
Of course, let's keep it simple with regular pantry ingredients and vegetables.
- Rigatoni pasta or pasta of choice (whole-grain or gluten-free pasta works well)
- White onion
- Red bell pepper
- Jalapeño pepper
- Garlic
- Fire-roasted tomatoes
- Prepared lentils (I used half a package of Trader Joe's steamed prepared lentils)
- Black beans
- Taco seasoning
- Vegetable broth
BLACK BEANS & LENTILS FOR A PROTEIN STRONG ENCHILADA PASTA
According to Healthline, black beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and folate like many other beans. As a result, they are a staple food in Central and South America.
One cup (172 grams) of cooked black beans contains roughly (31):
- Calories: 227
- Protein: 15.2 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
- Folate (vitamin B9): 64% of the RDI
- Manganese: 38% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 30% of the RDI
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 28% of the RDI
- Iron: 20% of the RDI
Furthermore, black beans may also help reduce the spike in blood sugar after eating a meal, which may help reduce the risk of diabetes and weight gain.
On the other hand, Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be great additions to soups and stews. They may also have several health benefits (14).
One cup (198 grams) of cooked lentils contains roughly (15):
- Calories: 230
- Protein: 17.9 grams
- Fiber: 15.6 grams
- Folate (vitamin B9): 90% of the RDI
- Manganese: 49% of the RDI
- Copper: 29% of the RDI
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 22% of the RDI
Like chickpeas, lentils can help reduce blood sugar compared to other foods.
ENCHILADA PASTA COOKS ONE-POT IN UNDER 20 MINUTES
Instead of cooking the pasta in a separate pan, everything goes in one pot together. And one pot means minimal mess.
- In a large pot, saute garlic and onions until translucent
- Add red bell peppers and jalapenos and saute
- Then, add black beans, lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes
- Now, add dry pasta
- Top with 6 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil
- Add 1 package of taco seasoning
- Stir everything together
- Cover the pot and reduce to simmer
- Simmer for 15 minutes
- Remove the cover and stir again; replace the lid.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes; sauce thickens upon standing
LOOKING FOR EASY ONE-POT PASTA RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT!
- One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
- Spinach Artichoke Pasta Recipe
- Creamy Spicy Vegan Sausage Pasta
- Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms
- Vegan Cajun Pasta
- Vegan Jambalaya Recipe Quick, Easy and Spicy
Enchilada Pasta
Enchilada pasta recipe is made in one pan in under 20 minutes. Not only is enchilada pasta easy to make, but each bite will bring you back for more.
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package whole-grain Rigatoni pasta or pasta of choice (gluten-free pasta works as well)
- 1 white onion, cut in half and sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and vein removed, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup prepared lentils (I used half a package of Trader Joe's steamed prepared lentils)
- 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 6 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large pot, saute garlic and onions until translucent
- Add red bell peppers and jalapenos and saute
- Then, add black beans, lentils, roasted tomatoes
- Now, add dry pasta
- Top with 6 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil
- Add 1 package of taco seasoning
- Stir everything together
- Cover the pot and reduce to simmer
- Simmer for 15 minutes
- Remove the cover and stir again; replace the lid.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes; sauce thickens upon standing.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8 servingsServing Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 232Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 320mgCarbohydrates 45gFiber 10gSugar 4gProtein 11g
Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Jo-Anne L
This was on my plate last night for dinner and it was really good! It was a very warm evening and I didn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. The only things I did differently was make 1/2 the recipe and I finely chopped 2 corn tortillas and added them in to dissolve. I was wonderfully surprised a the flavor! I'm not a big pasta fan, but this was a winner.
Kathy Carmichael
Jo-Anne, I am so glad you liked it. My son said he dreamed about it the night after we had it for dinner because it was so good haha. The tortillas are a great idea. I make oil-free air-fried tortilla strips for my tortilla soup recipe that would work too. Thanks for the great idea!
Shellie
I don't have taco seasoning, but I do have a 15 oz. jar of Siete enchilada sauce. Can I use that instead and if so would I change any of the other ingredient amounts? Looking forward to trying this, Kathy. Thanks.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Shellie, I would skip the canned tomatoes altogether. Technically, the enchilada sauce is seasoned with tomatoes, and you don't want too much fluid or runny. It's a great idea and substitution. Please let me know how it goes. I can offer it as an alternative if it works out well. Thank you for reaching out. I hope this is helpful.
Shellie
Hi Kathy. The recipe came out great. The enchilada sauce I had was verde. I thought I had the red but it worked. I did add some seasoning as the sauce was mild. Definitely going to try this again as written with the taco seasoning and will try the red enchilada sauce as well. Thanks for a keeper.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Shellie, that's great! I love verde enchilada sauce. I use it often. Thanks so much for letting me know. I will add it as an option to the recipe. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Mary
I made this for dinner tonight. Very delicious and easy…thank you!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Mary, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it.
Wendy C
Any ideas on how to make this in an instant pot?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Wendy, to be honest, when I tried, it took longer for the Instant Pot to get to temperature and then release than it took to make the enchilada pasta in a pot on the stove. And, it turned out a bit drier.