Beef Queso Taco Pasta

• 1 liter, for boiling Water (about 4 cups, for boiling)
• 2 g Salt (⅓ tsp)
• 60 g dry Pasta (shells or penne) (2.1 oz dry)
• 5 g Olive oil (1 tsp)
• 150 g raw Lean ground beef (90%) (5.3 oz raw)
• 1.5 g Ground cumin (¾ tsp)
• 2 g Chili powder (¾ tsp)
• 1 g Paprika (½ tsp)
• 1 g Garlic powder (⅓ tsp)
• 15 g raw Jalapeño (0.5 oz raw)
• 70 g raw Corn kernels, frozen or canned (2.5 oz raw)
• 80 g Tomato sauce (2.8 oz)
• 100 g Cottage cheese (3.5 oz)
• 25 g Cheddar, grated (0.9 oz)

You'll need: Large saucepan, Colander, Large frying pan, Spatula, Blender, Mug, Cutting board and knife.

Method

1. Boil the pasta

   Bring the water to a boil with half the salt. Add the pasta and cook for the time on the package, until tender with a slight bite. Scoop out a mug of the cooking water, then drain.

   Taste a piece a minute before the package time. You want a slight bite, since it finishes in the sauce.

2. Brown the taco beef

   While the pasta cooks, dice the jalapeño, removing the seeds if you want it milder. Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef with the cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and the rest of the salt. Break it up and cook for 6–8 minutes, until browned with no pink left and 71°C (160°F) on a thermometer. Stir in the jalapeño, corn and tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.

   Leave the beef alone for the first 2 minutes so it browns. Stirring too early makes it gray.

3. Blend the queso

   Blend the cottage cheese, cheddar and 3 tablespoons of the hot pasta water for 45–60 seconds, until completely smooth and pourable.

   Blend until you can't feel any curds. This is what turns cottage cheese into a queso-style sauce.

4. Toss it together

   Turn the heat to low. Add the pasta and the queso to the beef and stir for 1–2 minutes, until hot and coated. Add a splash more pasta water if it looks thick.

   Keep it below a simmer. Boiling makes cottage cheese sauce grainy.

Swaps

• Lean ground beef → Lean ground turkey (93%)A little leaner. Cook it to 74°C (165°F).
• Pasta → High-protein lentil pastaAdds about 8 g of protein. Cook it 1–2 minutes less, since it goes soft fast.