Loaded with veggies and lots of flavors, this Vegetarian Fajita Pasta is our favorite pasta dinner. Fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, colorful bell peppers, sour cream, and cheese make this a healthier pasta dish. Make it as a one-pot dish in the Instant Pot or Stovetop. Enjoy topped with cilantro and avocado.
I love to cook pasta (actually any one-pot dish) in the instant pot. One-pot dishes make my investment in the instant pot totally worth it. Don’t you agree? The time it saves and the fewer utensils to wash… the story of every home!
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Easy Vegetarian Fajita Pasta
I saw many recipes for Chicken Fajita Pasta shared, so I thought, why not do a veggie version? Also, I need to think of easy weeknight dinners for my better half, who is vegetarian. So this Vegetarian Fajita Pasta fits in perfectly. If you are craving chicken, try this low-carb Chicken Fajita Soup!
This Vegetarian Fajita pasta is fairly easy to make as a one-pot dish. Just some initial sauté, cook and then add the cheese and sour cream.
If you love Mexican food, you will love this pineapple mango salsa and Mexican Casserole recipe.
Fajita Pasta Ingredients
Onion & Garlic: I used yellow onions and minced garlic.
Tomatoes: I used canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes in this recipe. Fresh tomatoes or Salsa would work great as well.
Bell Peppers: I like to use colorful bell peppers, as that makes this dish look bright and colorful! Use any color bell peppers you have on hand.
Black Beans: I used canned black beans. Rinse the black beans in a colander, and drain any liquid before using. You can also use home-cooked black beans.
Pasta: I used shells, but other types of pasta, such as penne or farfalle, would work well too.
Broth/ Water: I use Better Than Bouillon base to make broth. It is just easier to keep at hand for all my cooking. Also, I used the veggie broth to keep this recipe vegetarian, but you can use another broth too. Even water works for this recipe if you don’t have broth on hand.
Taco Seasoning: I used taco seasoning for this recipe. Fajita seasoning would work well too.
Sour Cream: Helps to make the pasta a little creamy. It is okay to skip if you want to make this recipe vegan.
Cheese: I used Mexican blend cheese. You can use cheddar or pepper jack cheese too. Skip cheese or use vegan cheese to keep this dish vegan.
Garnishes: I used chopped avocado and cilantro to garnish at the end. I also like to add lime juice which helps to balance the flavors.
How to Make Fajita Pasta?
Let’s start with chopping the colorful bell peppers, onions, and garlic.
Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Then stir in tomatoes, black beans, and taco (or fajita) seasoning. Add the pasta shells and veggie broth and set to cook.
When the cooking is done, open the pot carefully. Stir in the bell peppers, sour cream & cheese. Stir well until the sour cream and cheese are mixed with the pasta.
Cover and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes. You can use a glass lid to cover the pot.
Vegetarian Fajita Pasta is ready to be enjoyed. We like to top it with avocado, cilantro, and lime juice. We also like to sprinkle some chili flakes to make them spicy.
Tips for Perfect Fajita Pasta
- Seasoning: I like Taco seasoning as it gives so much more color to this dish.
- Submerge pasta: You want to submerge all the pasta in liquid before pressure cooking. If it is less, then add some more broth or water.
- Pasta cooking time: Typically, the cooking time for pasta in Instant Pot is half the time on the package minus 1 minute.
- Pressure Release: Quick Release is important for pasta dishes in the Instant Pot. So don’t forget or run for a chore while cooking pasta in the instant pot.
- Bell Peppers: I add bell peppers after pressure cooking as we like them crunchy.
Stovetop Method
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes until the onions become translucent. Then stir in the tomatoes, black beans, and taco seasoning.
- Add pasta shells and broth.
- Cook for about 10-12 minutes until the pasta is almost cooked. Stir at regular intervals.
- Turn off the heat. Then add bell peppers, sour cream, and cheese. Stir them well with the pasta.
- Cover with a lid and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove the lid and garnish with cilantro. Serve topped with avocado and lime.
Give this pasta a try, on the next Meatless Monday, along with vegetarian taco soup. I am sure you will not want to wait for a special day to enjoy it again 🙂
How to Serve?
This Fajita pasta is a great meal with black beans, veggies, and pasta all cooked together.
Serve it topped with lots of wonderful garnishes for the best Mexican-Italian fusion meal.
Some garnishing ideas:
- Diced avocado
- Diced scallions (green part)
- Jalapeno (if you like spice)
- Salsa
- Chopped cilantro leaves
How to Store Leftovers?
Let the leftovers cool, transfer them to an airtight container, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave. Add a sprinkle of water if the pasta looks dry before reheating.
Chicken Fajita Pasta
You can add chicken to this recipe to make chicken fajita pasta. Use boneless chicken cut into 1-inch slices.
I suggest adding chicken after sauteeing the onions and garlic. Saute the chicken for about 5 minutes until it is white on the outside. Then continue with the recipe.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
- Spaghetti in Pesto Sauce
- Penne in Tomato Cream Sauce
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Instant Pot Tortellini
- Pappardelle Pesto with Vegetables
Vegetarian Fajita Pasta Recipe – Instant Pot & Stovetop
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Onion , diced
- 5 cloves Garlic , minced
- 1 cup Fire-roasted diced Tomatoes , (I used canned)
- 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning , or Fajita Seasoning
- 1 cup Black Beans , pre-cooked (I used canned)
- 8 ounces Pasta Shells , (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, sliced
- 3/4 cup Red Bell Pepper , sliced
- 3/4 cup Yellow Bell Pepper , sliced
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese , or Cheddar
- 1/4 cup Cilantro, to garnish
- 1 Avocado , diced
- 1 Lime , cut into wedges
For Instant Pot
- 2 cups Broth
For Stovetop
- 3 cups Broth
Instructions
For Instant Pot:
- Start the instant pot in Saute mode and let it heat. Add olive oil, onions, garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, black beans and taco seasoning.
- Add pasta shells and broth. Stir well. Deglaze if anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Press cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position.
- Pressure cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure manually. (Adjust cooking time depending on the pasta used, see notes)
- Add bell peppers, sour cream and cheese. Stir them well with the cooked pasta.
- Place back lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. You can also use a glass lid.
- After 5 minutes, remove lid and garnish with cilantro. Serve topped with avocado and lime.
For Stovetop:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions become translucent.
- Then stir in the tomatoes, black beans and taco seasoning.
- Add pasta shells and broth. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until the pasta is almost cooked. Stir at about 4 minute intervals. (Adjust cooking time based on package directions)
- Turn off heat. Add bell peppers, sour cream and cheese. Stir them well with the pasta.
- Cover with a lid and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove lid and garnish with cilantro. Serve topped with avocado and lime.
Video
Notes
- You want to ensure all the pasta is submerged in liquid before pressure cooking. If it is less, then add some more broth or water.
- Pasta cooking time: Typically, the cooking time for pasta in Instant Pot is half the time on the package minus 1 minute.
- This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker.
I tried the recipe just as written. I used tofu-based sour cream and was thrilled by how easy it was. The flavor sneaks up on you. At first I thought it was a little bland, but after awhile the flavors develop and it was a great dish. I’ll be making this again. Thank for a great recipe. Just a note – I have to protest when the expectation of what it takes to prep is so ridiculously under estimated.
Hi Diana – Glad to hear you enjoyed the fajita pasta. Thank you for your feedback on the prep time, I agree and have increased it 🙏