The holidays are over, the new year is upon us and I’m finally getting back into my groove again.  Food blogging that is. Sometimes, stepping away from something you love, even for just a short time, really gets those creative juices flowing again.  For me, this is exactly what I needed.
Now that I’m back in my groove, I’ve put my Instant Pot into over drive.  How many of you got an Instant Pot for the holidays?  They are totally amazing, right?  My favorite part of this handy-dandy Instant Pot is the sauté function.  Honestly, I have skipped over so many slow cooker recipes because they have required sautéing meat in a separate pan.
Who has time for that? Â Whether you work out of the home, or your full-time job is inside the home, multiple pots and pans for any meal is way too time consuming. Â I want to set it and forget it. I want to come home from work and have a tasty meal ready for my family in minutes. Â Enter, the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Taco Bake
This 6 ingredient Instant Pot Taco Bake is not only easy to make, your whole family will love this super yummy dish. It has all my favorite things (in no particular order): pasta, meat and cheeeeese! Â One pot and this delicious little meal was ready for my family at dinner time.
Add just a pinch of salt and pepper to the meat to season it and pop it into the Instant Pot on saute.  It’s just that easy.  Brown the meat, add all other ingredients and turn on the manual mode.
And here is the kicker.  The thing I couldn’t believe until I saw it with my own eyes!  I added the pasta, uncooked, and in 5 minutes it was cooked and ready to be served.  The pasta was cooked to perfection.
I topped this tasty little dish with cheese, diced onion and cilantro.  You could also add sour cream, diced avocado and even a little salsa on the side. Any way you like it, this Instant Pot Taco Bake is sure to be on your family’s meal planning rotation!
Instant Pot Taco Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef 93/7%
- 6 tsp Taco Seasoning Low sodium
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 8 oz Medium Shells
- 1.5 - 2 Cups Mexican Blend Cheese
- Pinch Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the meat. Set the Instant Pot to sauté on high. After it heats up, spray with olive oil and add the seasoned meat.
- Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat as it browns. Once all the meat is browned, add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce and beef broth. Stir.
- Last, add the pasta shells. The liquid should just cover the pasta. Add just a little more broth, if needed.
- Cover the pot with the lid and lock. Press the manual button and set it for 5 minutes. Make sure the lever is set to seal. Once it's done cooking, use the quick release.
- Once the quick release is finished, carefully remove the lid. Stir the pasta mixture. Cover with cheese and place the lid back on the pot without locking it. This residual heat will melt the cheese.
- Serve immediately. Top with your favorite toppings such as diced onion, cilantro or diced avocado.
