In a large non-stick skillet, or dutch oven, cook the meat over medium high heat until browned, breaking up into small pieces as the meat cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
Add in the tomato sauce, salsa, taco seasoning, elbow noodles, and 1.5 cups of water, stirring to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the pasta is tender, adding up to 1 cup of water if needed. This will take about 15 minutes for the pasta to be tender.
Once the pasta is tender, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese and sour cream. Serve.
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Notes
Meat: I prefer lean 90/10 ground sirloin for this recipe, but you can use any fat percentage you like--just drain off grease well. You can also use ground chicken or turkey in place of beef.Vegetarian Option: If you want to keep this pasta vegetarian, use 2-3 cups of black beans. Taco Seasoning: 1 Tbsp chili powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ⅛ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.Pasta: Whole wheat or regular elbow noodles. You can also use mini shell pasta or rotini pasta. Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. This pasta can be frozen for up to 1 month.