One-Pot Vegan Taco Pasta

Here is what you need to make this vegan and vegetarian taco pasta at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:

• Vegan ground 'beef' - Use your favourite brand. I used Yves ground round for the version in the pics/video. You could use cooked green or brown lentils instead (not red). 1½ to 2 cups should be about right.
• Black beans - Canned or home-cooked. A tasty, lean way to pack this dish full of protein. They make the meal hearty and satisfying and give taco-like vibes. No black beans? Kidney beans or pinto beans would work well instead. The recipe calls for one 15oz (398ml) can, but you can add an extra can or use a larger can to make the recipe stretch further.
• Taco seasoning - For a taco-like flavour. Use a single-use paper packet of taco seasoning, a few tablespoons from a multi-use jar, or homemade taco seasoning (recipe coming soon).
• Pasta - I really like this with macaroni because it's small and easy to eat with the beans, etc., but the recipe has been tested with other pasta varieties including penne, shells and rigatoni, and it cooked up just fine. To make the recipe a little healthier, use whole wheat pasta. I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free pasta.
• Corn - You can use fresh, canned or frozen corn (no need to defrost).
• Salsa/canned tomatoes - Use salsa, canned tomatoes or a mix of both. Red or green salsa both work. I've been buying the giant tubs of fresh salsa from Costco, so I used all salsa in the photos/video. For canned tomatoes, regular diced or diced fire-roasted are best for texture, and fire-roasted gives the most flavour. Crushed tomatoes or passata will work too if you don't mind more sauce, less texture.
• Stock - From a carton or made up as directed with stock cubes or bouillon concentrate.

For topping (Choose your own adventure!)

Toppings add a burst of freshness and texture and make this taco pasta even better. Favourites of mine include:

• Crumbled tortilla chips
• Shredded cheese or crumbled vegan feta cheese
• A drizzle of dairy-free cheese sauce. You can use my easy cheese sauce recipe or cashew cheese sauce.
• Sliced avocado or guacamole
• Shredded iceberg lettuce, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, green onions, halved cherry tomatoes
• Vegan sour cream (I really like Earth Island sour cream) or natural dairy-free yogurt
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh or pickled Jalapeño slices
• Salsa
• Fresh lime wedges

Can't wait to make it? The full printable recipe is below, but first, let me walk you through the steps to set you up for success in your kitchen.  I recommend watching my recipe video if you're more of a visual learner.

1 - Sauté the onion, then add the vegan ground 'beef', taco seasoning, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until the 'beef' is browned and fragrant.

2 - Add everything else (except the corn). Simmer until the macaroni is tender.

3 - Add the corn and allow to heat through for a few minutes, then serve with toppings of choice.