A creamy, cheesy pasta dish with a kick of spice from Rotel tomatoes — the ultimate easy comfort food made with pantry staples!
🥘 Recipe Card
Servings & Timing
- Yield: 4–6 servings
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Dietary Badges:
- Family-Friendly
- Comfort Food
- Quick Weeknight Dinner
✅ Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (penne, rotini, or elbow macaroni work well)
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken)
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (undrained)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp chili powder (optional, for extra kick)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or green onions, for garnish
📖 Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and set aside.
- Cook meat: In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain excess grease.
- Build the sauce: Add Rotel, cream soup, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir well.
- Combine: Stir in cooked pasta and ¾ cup cheese. Mix until everything is creamy and well coated.
- Top & serve: Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover skillet for 2–3 minutes until melted. Garnish with parsley or green onions and serve hot.
🔑 Notes
- Rotel comes in mild, original, or hot — choose based on your spice preference.
- Swap beef for shredded chicken or even leftover rotisserie.
- For a baked version: transfer to casserole dish, top with cheese, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until bubbly.
🌟 Variations
- Cheesy Rotel Chicken Pasta: Use chicken + cream of chicken soup.
- Tex-Mex Style: Add black beans, corn, or jalapeños.
- Low-Carb Option: Replace pasta with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Extra Creamy: Add 4 oz cream cheese when mixing sauce.
❄️ Storage
- Fridge: Store in airtight container up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled pasta in portions up to 2 months. Reheat with a splash of milk to bring back creaminess.
💌 Final Notes
This Rotel Pasta is creamy, cheesy, and just a little spicy — perfect for busy nights when you want a hearty meal fast. It’s budget-friendly, kid-approved, and endlessly customizable!
