Mexican Pasta Bake with Beans and Cheese Recipe
A hearty bake with pasta, beans, corn and plenty of cheese, this Tex-Mex style dish is popular for family dinners and get-togethers with friends. It’s a bit like an Italian pasta bake, but instead of béchamel sauce you get tomatoes, chili and cumin. A great way to feed several hungry people with one big baking dish.
This pasta bake combines the comfort of classic baked pasta with bold Tex-Mex flavors: cumin, chili, beans and corn. It’s easy to assemble, uses mostly pantry ingredients and can be prepared in advance, making it ideal for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.
Chef's tips
Undercook the pasta slightly – it will finish cooking in the oven and stay pleasantly al dente instead of turning mushy. Taste the sauce before mixing with the pasta and adjust the seasoning generously; once combined with pasta and cheese, flavors become milder. If your tomatoes are very acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the sauce.
How to serve
Serve the bake straight from the dish at the table, with bowls of fresh toppings on the side: chopped cilantro, sliced spring onions, diced tomatoes, avocado or a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream. Warm tortillas or crusty bread are great for scooping up the sauce.
Ingredients
- pasta - 300 g
- red beans canned or cooked - 240 g
- corn canned or frozen - 150 g
- tomatoes canned, chopped - 400 g
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- chili pepper fresh - 0.5 pieces
- cumin ground - 1 teaspoon
- sweet paprika ground - 1 teaspoon
- cheese grated, good melting cheese - 200 g
- cream heavy or sour cream - 100 ml
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Preparation
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for 1–2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package so it stays slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- Peel the onion and dice it. Wash the bell pepper, remove the core and seeds, and dice it. Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the chili or use chili powder instead.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until softened and slightly translucent. Add the bell pepper and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili, cumin and sweet paprika. Fry for 1 minute, stirring, until the spices become very fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, drained beans and corn. Stir, season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat).
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the sauce from the pan. Add half of the grated cheese and the cream, and mix thoroughly.
- Transfer everything to an ovenproof baking dish, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. After removing from the oven, let the bake rest for 5 minutes so it firms up slightly and is easier to slice.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w naczyniu przykrytym folią lub w pojemniku. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku pod przykryciem lub w mikrofalówce; przed mrożeniem pokrój na porcje.
