Description
Creamy Rotel Pasta is a rich, cheesy, and slightly spicy one-pan meal perfect for busy weeknights. Made with tender pasta, seasoned ground beef, Rotel tomatoes, and a velvety cheese sauce, this dish is packed with bold flavors and comforting textures. Quick to make and easy to customize, it’s a family-friendly recipe that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Continue until the beef is browned and the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about one minute until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the undrained can of Rotel tomatoes along with the beef broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic salt, cumin, and black pepper. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce slightly thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Melt the cheese: Lower the heat and slowly stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Let it sit for a minute to allow the flavors to meld.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve hot. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- For a milder version, use plain diced tomatoes instead of Rotel.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheated with a splash of milk or broth to restore creaminess.
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey, sausage, or chorizo for a different flavor.
- To make this a complete meal, add black beans, bell peppers, or spinach.A
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 870mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 90mg