Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the ziti pasta 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is boiling add the ground beef to a skillet over medium heat.
Cook through, drain off any grease, then add the taco seasoning, cherry tomatoes & black beans.
Combine well, then simmer 5-7 minutes on low heat.
Prepare the avocado sauce by adding all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blending until creamy.
Combine the ground beef and pasta, then pour the avocado sauce over the top.
Mix everything together, then transfer to an oven-safe baking dish.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Cover loosely with foil and bake 15-20 minutes.
Notes
To make this recipe vegetarian, replace the ground beef with soy chorizo or meatless crumbles.
To make this recipe gluten free, substitute gluten-free ziti or penne pasta.
Want to add more veggies to the dish? Diced zucchini, bell peppers or corn kernels can be added at the same time as the cherry tomatoes and black beans. With an added 1-2 cups of veggies, this dish will easily serve 8 people.
This dish makes great leftovers! It will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in the microwave, covered, for 2 minutes. If the dish becomes dry, add a little extra water or chicken broth before reheating.