Description
Creamy Rotel Pasta is a flavorful, comforting dish combining tender penne pasta with a spicy, cheesy tomato and ground beef sauce. This easy-to-make recipe features a blend of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream cheese, cheddar, and spices, all simmered to perfection. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight meal for the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (10 ounces each) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese (or preferred cheese)
- Freshly chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Slices of jalapeno for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook Beef and Onions: In a large deep skillet or pot, cook the ground beef and diced onion over medium-high heat. Crumble the beef and cook until no longer pink and the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Stir in the undrained Rotel tomatoes, beef broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Thicken Sauce: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until combined. Pour the mixture into the sauce in the skillet.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir frequently for about 10 minutes until cream cheese melts and sauce thickens.
- Melt Cheese: Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and fully incorporated into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy sauce.
- Serve: Serve warm, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro and jalapeno slices if desired. Enjoy your creamy Rotel pasta!
Notes
- For a spicier version, add more jalapeno slices or extra chili powder.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for lean ground beef to lighten the dish.
- Use low-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat cheddar cheese for a lower fat version.
- Make sure to simmer the sauce slowly to prevent the cream cheese from curdling.
- If you want a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch slightly or simmer longer.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the microwave or stovetop.
