I was reading the Rachael Ray Magazine while on the elliptical the other week and this dish caught my eye. I love to buy ground turkey breast, but sometimes I struggle to come up with new meals in which to use it. This looked easy, I had all the ingredients and it was a fun spin on traditional tacos. Although a lot of people aren’t fond of Rachael, I think she does a nice job helping people get in the kitchen and make things from scratch. The seasoning in this was much tastier than store-bought taco seasoning! All her dishes I’ve tried, which, granted, haven’t been all that many, have turned out great and are creative enough for me. I also like that she gives suggestions for meat substitutions and occasional shortcuts.
Since I had to return the magazine to the library before I got around to making it, I searched the Rachael Ray website to see if it would be listed anywhere. Lucky me- she even had a short tutorial segment on it from her show! This is a wonderful alternative to tacos, and you can still add whatever condiments you prefer. Although I didn’t have any, tomatoes and lettuce would be perfect on top of this, too.
Taco Pasta Toss, adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine (March 2010)
salt and pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1.25 pounds ground turkey breast
1 onion, chopped and divided
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sliced avocado
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 minute then stir in the chicken broth.
Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, avocado or any other condiments you like!
Makes 4 servings