Mexican Tortellini Stew

Holy cow!!! This dreamy dish is unbelievable! And so unique. Tender cheese tortellini, bathed in a taco-seasoned sauce that's spiked with onion, garlic and Mexican corn (corn with bell peppers). And since you utilize store-bought taco seasoning, the dish is a snap to prepare!

My inspiration for this dish was simple: I wanted to create tortellini-based meal that was NOT Italian! Most dishes with the cheese-filled pockets incorporate Italian flavors - like oregano, basil, tomato sauce, and more cheese (like mozzarella and parmesan). So I went 180 degrees and created the most scrumptious, Mexican-inspired tortellini dish on earth!

And it couldn't be easier to prepare either. I mean it's a ONE POT MEAL! And I used store-bought taco seasoning, which has all the flavor you need for a robust sauce. If you don't have taco seasoning, you can use fajita seasoning, or create your own blend with equal parts chili powder, paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder (about 1/2 teaspoon of each).

If you want to add meat to the dish, great choices would be ground beef, Italian sausage and shredded rotisserie chicken. You can also add more vegetables to the dish; peas, carrots, green beans, and zucchini would be awesome.

Want to plan for a future meal? Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

Mexican Tortellini Stew 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons taco seasoning of choice (2 packets)
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/4 pounds fresh or dry tortellini of choice
11-ounce can Mexicorn, drained, or 1 cup frozen corn, keep frozen until ready to use
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or any combination of cheeses (cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack)
Chopped fresh cilantro for serving, optional
Chopped green onions for serving, optional

Heat the oil in a large stock pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the taco seasoning and stir to coat. Add the broth, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add the tortellini and Mexicorn and return to a simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tortellini are tender and cooked through. Top the stew with these and remove the pan from the heat.
Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and top with cilantro and green onions, if using.
Serves 4