If you love Tex-Mex flavors and easy weeknight dinners, this vegetarian One Pot Southwest Pasta is for you — fresh, zesty, flavorful and made in just one pan!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS ONE POT SOUTHWEST PASTA
One pot = less mess — Everything cooks together in one pan for quick and easy cleanup. There’s also almost zero prep work on this one!
Naturally vegetarian – Made with black beans for plant-based protein. I like to boost the protein content even more by using protein pasta, but you could also use regular.
Super flavorful – Tomato paste, a mix of classic spices, fresh lime juice, and cilantro all give this Vegetarian Southwest Pasta the best flavor.
Customizable — Want even more protein? Add some cooked, shredded chicken at the end of cooking (rotisserie chicken works great to keep it easy). Like it spicy? Add even more of the chili pepper seasoning. Then, get creative with toppings like avocado, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream or your favorite cheese.
Perfect for busy nights – There’s almost zero prep work and very little cleanup, making this the perfect weeknight dinner recipe when you want something healthy, filling, and fast.
INGREDIENTS
- Pasta – Any short noodle works great, like rotini, penne, shells or corkscrew. I personally like to use protein pasta to boost the protein content even more.
- Onion – Yellow or white both work well.
- Garlic – You can use fresh or jarred minced garlic. I like to use jarred just because it’s quicker and easier than chopping up cloves. Use your preference.
- Tomato paste – Found in small cans or tubes near canned tomatoes. I like the tubes because it makes it easier to store the leftovers.
- Black beans – Drain and rinse before using; low-sodium versions are great if available.
- Corn – Use frozen, canned, or fresh kernels cut from the cob — whatever’s easiest.
- Tomatoes – I like to use fresh chopped tomatoes when possible, but if you want to save time, you can also use a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes.
- Broth – To keep it vegetarian, use vegetable broth. If that’s not important to you, chicken or beef broth are also good options.
- Toppings – There’s two toppings I highly recommend because they really enhance the flavor – fresh squeezed lime juice and fresh cilantro. Some other great toppings are diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt or some crushed tortilla chips.
For another quick and easy one pot recipe, check out a reader favorite – my One Pot Tuscan White Bean & Ground Turkey Pasta!
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot or deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking another minute or so until fragrant and paste is slightly darkened.
Next, add the broth, pasta, black beans, corn, tomatoes and seasonings (chipotle chili pepper seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika and salt). Stir to combine.
Turn heat up slightly to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove cover, stir and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens up.
Once most of the liquid is absorbed, turn the heat off and add the cheese and spinach (if using). Gently stir to combine. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
TIPS & NOTES FOR ONE POT SOUTHWEST PASTA
Adjust the spice: This recipe is super mild, but if you prefer more spice, just add more of the chili pepper seasoning. If you’re extra sensitive to spice, leave it out altogether.
Make It Vegan: Simply leave out the cheese and sour cream to make this a vegan-friendly recipe.
Storage: Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge — great for meal prep! I think it tastes even better the next day.
Add Texture: Top with crushed tortilla chips or pepitas before serving.
One Pot Southwest Pasta (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ white onion finely diced
- ½ tbsp minced garlic or about 2-3 cloves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth (use chicken broth if not vegetarian)
- 12 oz pasta – protein or regular (rotini, penne or shells)
- 1 can (15oz) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn fresh, frozen or canned
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
- ½ tsp chipotle chili pepper OR regular chili pepper seasoning either one works
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika OR regular paprika either one works
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican-blend)
- 2 limes
- 1-2 cups fresh chopped spinach (optional but I like to use it for more nutrition)
Optional Toppings:
- fresh chopped cilantro
- sour cream
- avocado slices
Instructions
- In a large pot or deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking another minute or so until fragrant and paste is slightly darkened.
- Next, add the broth, pasta, black beans, corn, tomatoes and seasonings (chipotle chili pepper seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika and salt). Stir to combine.
- Turn heat up slightly to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove cover, stir and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens up.
- Once most of the liquid is absorbed, turn the heat off and add the cheese and spinach (if using). Gently stir to combine. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
- If you make this and have a quick second to give it a rating, I would really appreciate it! Just scroll to the very bottom of this page until you see the row of stars. Each rating helps my little blog so much, so thank you in advance!
Nutrition
