High-Protein Taco Pasta (One-Pot Vegan Dinner)

Creamy, smoky, cheesy, and packed with cozy taco flavor, this one-pot pasta is the kind of quick dinner you’ll want on repeat all summer long. The smashed black beans make it hearty and satisfying while keeping it completely budget friendly using simple pantry ingredients. Best of all, everything cooks in one pot in about 15 minutes, making this the perfect lazy weeknight comfort meal.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Small Onion, diced

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning (a homemade recipe link below)

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Cumin

8 ounces Pasta Shells or Rotini

2-1/2 cups Vegetable Broth

1 cup Unsweetened Plant Milk

1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast

1/2 cup Salsa

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 Lime (optional)

Optional Toppings

Green Onions

Fresh Cilantro

Vegan Sour Cream

Avocado

Jalapeños

Crushed Tortilla Chips

If you’ve been needing a quick, cozy dinner that doesn’t cost a fortune, this is the recipe. This creamy taco pasta is rich, comforting, packed with plant-based protein, and made almost entirely from pantry staples. Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time relaxing after dinner.

The smashed black beans create a hearty, taco-style texture that makes this meal feel incredibly filling without needing expensive ingredients or meat alternatives. It’s creamy, smoky, savory, and honestly one of those meals that tastes even better straight from the pot with a spoon while standing in the kitchen, LOL.

Perfect for busy weeknights, lazy evenings, or anytime you want something comforting fast.

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato paste, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.

Add the black beans and lightly smash about half of them with the back of a spoon or potato masher. This creates the hearty taco-style texture.

Add the pasta, vegetable broth, plant milk, salsa, and nutritional yeast. Stir everything together well.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce becomes creamy.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, optional. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve hot with your favorite toppings.