Taco Pasta for Two

An easy, budget-friendly dinner for two that costs under $5 and comes together in about 20 minutes.

Serves: 2 generous portions
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 oz dry pasta (about 1½ cups dry — elbow, rotini, or shells work well)
• ½ pound ground turkey OR one 12.5 oz can chicken, drained
• ½ packet taco seasoning (about 1 tablespoon)
• ½ can (about 5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained
• 1 packet Velveeta cheese sauce (about 4 oz)
• ¼–½ cup reserved pasta water (as needed)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
3. While pasta cooks, brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked.
   • If using canned chicken, simply heat it in the skillet and break it up with a spoon.
4. Stir in taco seasoning and diced tomatoes (with juice).
5. Add the cooked pasta and Velveeta cheese sauce to the skillet.
6. Stir until creamy and combined.
7. If mixture is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
8. Serve hot.

Budget Note

Using store-brand ingredients:

• ½ lb ground turkey ≈ $1.00–$1.50
• Pasta (½ box) ≈ $0.50
• ½ can Rotel ≈ $0.50
• Cheese sauce ≈ $1.00
• Seasoning ≈ $0.25

👉 Total: Around $4–$5 to feed two.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream
• Add crushed tortilla chips for crunch
• Serve with a small side salad for a complete meal

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat with a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce.