Important rule for the avocado: It must not be cooked along with the rest (it will turn bitter and brown). Instead, add it at the very end as a fresh, creamy topping.

🌮 Burrito One Pot Pasta (No Bell Peppers)

This recipe is for 2 large portions.

The Ingredients

Protein & Substance:

  • 300 g Ground Beef / Minced Meat (lean/fettarm for more pure protein – look for Rinderhackfleisch)

  • 200 g Pasta (Penne or Fusilli)

  • 1 can Kidney beans (approx. 240g drained weight) – rinse well

  • 1 small can Corn (approx. 140g)

Sauce & Spice:

  • 1 can Chopped/Chunky Tomatoes (400g – labeled as Stückige Tomaten)

  • 400 ml Vegetable Broth (Gemüsebrühe)

  • 1 Onion (diced)

  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomatenmark)

  • Spices: 1 tsp Cumin (Make sure to buy Kreuzkümmel, not normal Kümmel/Caraway!), 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (Geräuchertes Paprikapulver), some Chili flakes (to taste), Salt & Pepper.

  • Optional: 1 tbsp Crème fraîche or Schmand for the sauce.

The Topping (The Highlight):

  • 1 large, ripe Avocado

  • A splash of Lime juice

The Preparation

  1. Sear the meat: Heat some oil in a large pot. Fry the ground beef over high heat until crumbly and browned.

  2. Season: Add the onion and sauté briefly until translucent. Add the tomato paste and the spices (Cumin/Kreuzkümmel, smoked paprika, chili) and sauté for another minute. It should smell like a Mexican restaurant now.

  3. Everything in the pot: Deglaze the meat with the chopped tomatoes and the broth. Now add the raw pasta, the rinsed kidney beans, and the corn directly into the pot.

  4. Simmer: Stir everything well, bring to a boil, and then let it simmer with the lid on over medium heat for approx. 10–12 minutes.

    • Tip: Stir every 2-3 minutes, as the starch from the beans and pasta can make the sauce thicken and stick to the bottom quickly.

  5. Creaminess: Once the pasta is cooked al dente and the sauce is thick and creamy, remove the pot from the stove. If you like, stir in the spoonful of Crème fraîche (or Schmand) now.

  6. The Avocado Finale: While the pasta cools slightly, dice the avocado and drizzle it with a little lime juice and salt. Plate the pasta and distribute the avocado cubes generously on top.

🥑 Why the Avocado is the Gamechanger here

Since we aren’t using bell peppers, the cooked dish lacks a bit of “freshness” and crunch. The cold, soft avocado on top of the hot, spicy pasta provides a brilliant temperature and texture contrast (hot/cold and spicy/creamy).

Extra Protein Tip:

Want to make the dish even higher in protein without eating more meat?

Stir in 50g grated Cheddar or Mozzarella at the end (Step 5) until it gets stringy. This fits the Burrito style perfectly.

Delicious Burrito Pasta