Taco Pasta

1 pound ground beef or turkey
8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or other small dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin.

Toss in the cilantro right before serving for some fresh color and flavor. Serve with a green salad.

From Fake Ginger

To make it easier, I have ziploc bags with pre-cooked and seasoned taco meat in the freezer. I also don't usually have sour cream on-hand. While I thaw the meat and boil the pasta, I saute the onion and garlic, then add tomatoes 6 oz of cream cheese and pre-cooked meat. Then add the pasta when it's done. This shortens prep and cook time a lot: it only takes maybe 5 minutes of chopping and 10-15 minutes of cooking (depending on what type of pasta you use). 

*Dairy-free- don't add sour cream or cream cheese to the whole dish, wait and add to individual bowls. It will be spicier without the sour cream/cream cheese.
**Taco seasoning most likely contains soy.