This Mexican pasta is protein-packed and ready in 30 minutes! It’s a one pot pasta recipe made with a creamy, vegan chipotle yogurt sauce. In partnership with Pompeian! ❤️
One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet
You should know by now that I’m not an advocate for obsessively tracking every macronutrient and micronutrient you eat. I don’t think it leads to greater overall health, mostly because you’ll be so stressed and drive yourself insane. Stress will probably hurt you before cake does!
That all being said, it can definitely be helpful to have a general idea of the nutrients you’re consuming. No, I don’t think you should track carbs or sugar or fat (unless for a medical reason). But it is important to make sure we’re getting a balance of carbs, fat, and protein with all of our wonderful vitamins and minerals.
How do you do that in a non-obsessive, truly healthy way? My favorite way to do this is to follow the simplest formula for meals: carbs + fat + protein + fiber. For snacks, I like to make sure I have 2 out of the 3 macronutrients (i.e. carbs + fat, carbs + protein). This might sound complicated, but it really is very simple. Once you practice making meals with this formula, it’ll be second-nature!
This Mexican Pasta Skillet is a perfect example of this formula. Whole grain pasta (carbs & protein) + beans (protein) + Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil & dairy-free yogurt (fat) + vegetables (fiber). Gang’s all here!
And it gets even better! It’s a one pot pasta recipe and you can get it on the table in just 30 minutes, so it’s super weeknight friendly. Let’s get into it!
Ingredients for This Mexican Pasta Skillet
Plant-based protein is #TrendingInTheKitchen right now (yay!), so let’s chat about it. We only need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (not pound!!) of bodyweight. So if your personal trainer is telling you to eat 120 grams of protein, kindly tell him/her to stick with squats. ✌🏽✌🏽
As long as we’re eating a wide variety of plant-based foods (beans, whole grains, soy, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables) and eating enough, our protein needs are met pretty easily. Plus, we’re saving some animals by ditching or reducing animal protein consumption. 🐮🐷🐣
This Mexican Pasta hits on all our macronutrients, plus it packs in 16 grams of protein in each serving! Here’s everything you’ll need to make it.
- Pasta. You’ll need one 16-ounce box of whole-wheat pasta – any shape will work!
- Olive oil. I’m using Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil in this recipe because it lends the most delicious flavor to this Mexican pasta.
- Veggies. We’re adding bell pepper, jalapeno, an entire ear of corn, a can of diced tomatoes and garlic to our Mexican pasta skillet. All these veggies will pack in plenty of fiber.
- Black beans. Not only do black beans add even more fiber, but we’re also upping the plant-based protein. You can use canned beans, or whip up some Instant Pot Black Beans.
- Dairy-free yogurt. This is a vegan one pot pasta recipe, so we’re using plant-based yogurt. Any variety will work, just make sure you grab unsweetened, plain yogurt.
- Spices. Plenty of spices are going into our Mexican skillet pasta, including chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, ground turmeric, salt and pepper.
How to Make Mexican Pasta
This Mexican Pasta recipe is so simple. Not only does it all come together in one pan, but there are a minimal number of steps and you’ll have it finished in 30 minutes.
You’ll start by cooking your pasta according to package directions, drain it and set it to the side. Then in the same pot, you’ll sautee all your veggies. I really love using Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing vegetables and whipping up easy stir-fries! It’s made by cold pressing high-quality olives to produce a beautiful, delicate flavor.
Once all your veggies are tender, add in the black beans and the diced tomatoes. You’ll want to keep the liquid from the can of tomatoes to start to build a flavorful base for the sauce. Once the tomatoes start to cook down, add the pasta back to the skillet and stir everything to combine. Finally, toss in all the sauce ingredients and mix it up!
Bonus points for this Mexican pasta recipe making the BEST leftovers that you can easily pack in a glass tupperware over a bed of greens. 🏆
More One Pot Vegan Meals
I know a lot of you crave easy vegan recipes for those wild weeknights where you feel like you don’t have time (or patience!) to spend a ton of time in the kitchen working through a complicated recipe. This Mexican pasta is a great go-to when you want something that will leave you feeling satisfied without spending an eternity cooking it. If you’re looking for more one pot vegan meals, check out these other recipes!
- Classic Cajun Vegan Jambalaya
- One Pan Tomato and Kale Pasta
- Vegan Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
- One Pot Vegan White Bean Shakshuka by Making Thyme for Healthy
- One Pot Yellow Chickpea Coconut Curry by Minimalist Baker
One Pan Mexican Pasta Skillet
This Mexican pasta is protein-packed and ready in 30 minutes! It’s a one pot pasta recipe made with a creamy, vegan chipotle yogurt sauce.
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1 16-ounce box whole-wheat pasta (any shape)
- 2 tablespoons Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 ear of corn, shucked (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
For the sauce:
- 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (I prefer soy, but almond or cashew will work)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil. When hot, add bell pepper and jalapeno; cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Add corn and garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes, until corn is slightly charred, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add black beans and diced tomatoes, with liquid. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Return the cooked pasta to the skillet; stir until ingredients are evenly combined.
- To the skillet, add all sauce ingredients. Stir to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
- In a large skillet, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil. When hot, add bell pepper and jalapeno; cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Add corn and garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes, until corn is slightly charred, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add black beans and diced tomatoes, with liquid. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Return the cooked pasta to the skillet; stir until ingredients are evenly combined.
- To the skillet, add all sauce ingredients. Stir to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Thanks to Pompeian for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for supporting this blog that I love oh-so-much!
