Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef

My Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef was born from desperation on a Tuesday night when I had twenty minutes to feed four hungry people. My mom called right as I was staring into my pantry, and I started babbling about having nothing to cook. She laughed and said “Honey, you’ve got pasta, beef, and that can of Rotel – what more do you need?”

Twenty years later, this recipe has outlasted three relocations, scores of dinner parties and my daughter’s picky eating years. My husband still gets a childlike twinkle in his eyes when he sees me pulling the Rotel can out because he knows what’s coming.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Listen, I’ve made this recipe over 200 times, and it still gets the same reaction every single time – complete silence while everyone devours their bowls, followed by “Is there more?” The cream cheese melts into this ridiculously smooth sauce that hugs every piece of pasta, while the Rotel gives it just enough kick to keep things interesting. My teenage son brings friends over specifically when he knows I’m making this, and they literally lick their bowls clean.

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📝 Ingredient List

For the Pasta Base:

• 1 lb penne pasta (I buy the Barilla kind because it holds sauce better than store brand)
• 1 lb lean ground beef (80/20 works but 85/15 is what I actually use)
• 1 medium onion, diced (yellow onion, nothing fancy)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or that pre-minced jar stuff when I’m lazy)

The Flavor Foundation:

• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel, undrained (Original flavor – tried Hot once and my kids boycotted dinner)
• 1 cup beef broth (Better Than Bouillon mixed with water counts)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (half-and-half works if that’s what you have)
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia brand, always)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins or nothing)

Spice Mix:

• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The Cheesy Finish:

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I shred my own because the pre-shredded has that weird coating)
• Fresh cilantro (parsley if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap)

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

After making this recipe so many times, I’ve figured out exactly why each ingredient matters. The Rotel isn’t just for flavor – that liquid in the can creates the perfect base for the sauce, and trust me, I learned this the hard way when I drained it once and everything tasted flat. Cream cheese is what makes this different from every other pasta recipe – it doesn’t just add creaminess, it creates this velvety texture that coats your spoon.

I add beef broth because plain water makes the sauce taste one-dimensional, and the Worcestershire might seem random but it’s what gives the meat that deeper, richer flavor that makes people ask “what’s your secret?” The smoked paprika was my grandmother’s trick – she used it in everything and said it made food taste like it cooked all day even when it didn’t.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You need a big pot for the pasta – I use my 8-quart stockpot because I hate when pasta water boils over and makes a mess on my stove.

Get out your biggest skillet too, at least 12 inches. I tried making this in a smaller pan once and half the sauce ended up on my counter when I was stirring. Not fun to clean up.

You’ll want a colander that actually fits in your sink. Mine doesn’t, which is why I always splash boiling pasta water on myself like an idiot.

Sharp knife for the onion – dull knives make you cry more than the onion does. Learned that from my dad who insisted on using the same knife for twenty years until my mom hid it.

Measuring cups and a wooden spoon. That’s it. Don’t overcomplicate this.

👩🍳 How To Make Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef

Step 1: Get That Pasta Perfect Start your pasta water with way more salt than you think you need – it should taste like seawater, seriously. Cook your penne exactly one minute less than the package says because it’ll finish cooking in the sauce. I learned this from my Italian neighbor who threatened to never speak to me again if I kept overcooking pasta. Save a mug of that starchy water before draining – you’ll thank me later.

Step 2: Brown That Beautiful Beef Don’t crowd your pan or the beef will steam instead of brown – learned this the hard way during my first dinner party disaster. Break it up as it cooks and let it actually get brown, not gray. When you add the onions, they’ll release moisture and deglaze the pan naturally. The garlic goes in last because burnt garlic tastes bitter and there’s no coming back from that.

Step 3: Build Your Flavor Base Dump in the whole can of Rotel – juice and all – and don’t you dare drain it first. I did that exactly once and my husband still brings it up three years later. Add the beef broth and cream, then all your spices. Let this bubble away while you taste and adjust. My rule is always start with less spice than you think you need because you can add more but you can’t take it out.

Step 4: Cream Cheese Magic This is where things get good. Cut your cream cheese into chunks and drop them in, then stir constantly until they disappear into the sauce. If it’s straight from the fridge, it’ll take forever and leave lumps, so let it sit on the counter while you prep everything else. When it’s fully melted, the sauce should coat the back of your spoon.

Step 5: The Cheese Pull Moment Take the pan off the heat before adding the cheddar – hot sauce will make cheese grainy and nobody wants that. Stir it in gradually and watch it melt into this gorgeous, glossy coating. This is the moment I always call my family to come see because it looks too good not to share.

Step 6: Bring It All Together Toss the pasta right into the sauce – don’t dump the sauce over the pasta like some kind of amateur. Use tongs or a big spoon and really get in there to coat every piece. If it seems too thick, add that reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it’s just right.

Step 7: The Grand Finale Fresh herbs aren’t optional – they cut through all that richness and make the whole dish taste brighter. I prefer cilantro because it plays better with the Rotel, but parsley works if cilantro tastes like soap to you (I feel bad for people with that gene).

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

Ree Drummond’s Wisdom: My cousin met her at some food event and asked about cream cheese in sauces. Ree told her room temperature cream cheese is everything – cold cream cheese will fight you and win every time.

Guy Fieri’s Tip: I saw him on some cooking show saying don’t drain all the fat from ground beef. He’s right – you need some fat left in the pan for flavor. I drain most of it but leave about a tablespoon.

❗ You Must Know

Personal Secret: I add exactly half a teaspoon of sugar to this recipe, and nobody knows why it tastes so much better than theirs. My sister-in-law has begged me for this recipe for five years, and I finally told her the sugar trick last Christmas. She texted me at 11 PM that night saying her family couldn’t stop eating it.

Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable. Cold cream cheese will create lumps that no amount of stirring will fix, and I speak from experience. I’d dished up some lumpy pasta when my in-laws visited our new house for the first time, and to this day my mother-in-law still asks me if I’d like her to assist me in cooking for them.

💡 Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Don’t salt your pasta water like you’re seasoning a salad – it needs to be salty like the ocean. My grandmother used to say if you can’t taste the salt, add more salt. She was right about most things, including this.

The biggest mistake I see people make is adding cold cream cheese straight from the fridge. It’ll create these gross lumps that won’t smooth out no matter how much you stir. I set mine on the counter when I start cooking the beef, and by the time I need it, it’s perfect.

Here’s something nobody tells you – if your sauce gets too thick, don’t add regular water. Use that starchy pasta water you saved. It has body to it and helps the sauce stick to the pasta instead of sliding off like regular water does.

When you’re browning the beef, resist the urge to stir it constantly. Let it actually brown and get some color on it. That’s where the flavor lives. Gray beef is sad beef, and life’s too short for sad beef.

I keep a block of cheddar in my fridge specifically for this recipe because the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that make it melt weird. Takes thirty seconds to shred your own, and the texture is so much better.

🎨 Flavor Variations & Suggestions

My neighbor adds corn to hers and calls it “Mexican Street Corn Pasta.” She’s not wrong – it’s really good. Just dump in a can of drained corn with the Rotel.

When my kids were going through their “I don’t like anything” phase, I’d add extra cheese and leave out most of the spices. Worked every time. Now they eat the regular version and ask for seconds.

My brother-in-law makes this with ground turkey instead of beef because his wife is on some health kick. Honestly, it’s pretty good, but you need to season the turkey more because it’s bland compared to beef.

If you want to get fancy for company, sprinkle over a diced jalapeño and finish with a squeeze of lime. This is something my sister does when she is trying to impress people, and it works.

I found myself without beef broth last week, and I substituted in chicken broth. Nobody noticed, so apparently that works too. Don’t tell my husband I admitted that because he’s very particular about his beef dishes having beef broth.

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

I make the sauce part on Sunday and keep it in the fridge, then just cook fresh pasta when we want it during the week. Saves me from the “what’s for dinner” panic that hits every day around 4 PM.

The whole thing freezes okay, but the pasta gets a little mushy when you reheat it. I prefer to freeze just the sauce in those meal prep containers, then thaw it and add fresh pasta. Takes up less freezer space too.

If you’re taking this to a potluck, make it completely and throw it in your slow cooker on warm. It’ll stay at the perfect temperature and you won’t have to worry about it getting cold while everyone else is still setting up their dishes.

My sister doubles the batch each time she makes them because her teen sons eat as though they’re in training for hibernation. She’ll freeze half in family-sized portions and insists it tastes just as good 3 months later.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Look, if you don’t have every single spice, don’t stress about it. The Rotel and cream cheese are doing most of the heavy lifting here. I’ve made this when I was out of cumin and it was still good.

The first time I made this, I used regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel because I thought “tomatoes are tomatoes.” Wrong. So wrong. The green chilies in the Rotel are what make this recipe work, not just the tomatoes.

My kids prefer this with mild Rotel, but my husband and I like the regular. I buy both and use whichever one matches the crowd I’m feeding. Life’s too short to make two different dinners.

If you’re doubling this recipe, don’t double the salt right away. Make it with the same amount first, then taste and add more if you need it. I learned this lesson the hard way at my daughter’s graduation party.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

I usually just serve this by itself because it’s pretty filling, but my husband always wants bread to soak up any leftover sauce. Garlic bread from the frozen section works fine – I’m not making homemade bread on a Tuesday night.

My mom serves this with a simple salad because she says all that cheese needs something green to balance it out. She’s probably right, but my kids won’t touch salad, so I throw some frozen broccoli in the microwave and call it good.

Beer goes really well with this. My husband stumbled upon this combination totally by coincidence, grabbing a beer while I was cooking, and it is now his go-to whenever I make this pasta.

When guests are over, I like to put some hot sauce on the table, as you never know who wants the heat turned up. I use Cholula, but really any hot sauce will do.

🧊 How to Store Your Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef

This keeps in the fridge for about four days, though it never lasts that long at my house. The pasta soaks up some of the sauce overnight, which honestly makes it even better the next day.

When I reheat leftovers, I add a splash of milk to loosen it back up. Microwave works fine – just do it in short bursts and stir between so it doesn’t get weird and rubbery.

I’ve frozen this before when I accidentally made way too much for a church potluck. It’s fine when frozen, but the textures not the same. The sauce breaks up some and the pasta goes slack. Still edible, just not as good as fresh.

My daughter takes leftovers to college in those meal prep containers. She says it reheats better than most pasta dishes, and her roommates are always trying to trade their sad ramen for her fancy pasta.

⚠️ Allergy Information

This has dairy everywhere – cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese. If you can’t do dairy, you’re basically making a different recipe, but my friend Sarah uses coconut cream and some weird vegan cheese and swears it’s good. I haven’t tried it because I’m not giving up real cheese for anybody.

The pasta has gluten obviously. My neighbor uses some rice pasta thing for her celiac daughter and says it works fine, but it costs like three times as much as regular pasta.

If you’re allergic to beef, use ground turkey or chicken. Just season it more because it’s boring compared to beef.

❓ Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use a different type of pasta? Yeah, whatever you have works. I’ve used rotini, shells, those little bow ties. Just make sure it’s not spaghetti or something long and skinny because the sauce won’t stick to it right.

Is there a lighter version of this recipe? My sister uses half-and-half instead of heavy cream and skips the cream cheese. She says it’s lighter but honestly, it’s not as good. If you want light, make a salad.

Can I make this ahead for a potluck? Do it all the time. Make it completely, then stick it in a slow cooker on warm. It stays perfect for hours and people always ask for the recipe.

Can I add vegetables to this recipe?My kids would revolt, but adults seem to like bell peppers or corn mixed in. Add them when you add the Rotel so they cook down a bit.

What if I don’t have Rotel? Then you’re making a different recipe. Regular diced tomatoes don’t have the same flavor and you’d have to add green chilies separately. Just buy the Rotel – it’s like a dollar.

How spicy is this dish? My seven-year-old eats it without complaining, so not very spicy. The regular Rotel has just enough heat to make it interesting without burning your mouth.

This recipe has gotten me through more crazy weeknights than I can count. My kids request it for their birthdays instead of going out to eat, and my husband has started buying extra cans of Rotel “just in case” because he knows how much we all love this dish.

The best part is watching everyone’s face when they take that first bite – especially people who’ve never had it before. My mother-in-law was skeptical about the whole “pasta with Rotel” concept until she tried it. Now she asks me to make it every time they visit.

Hope your family loves this as much as mine does! 🍽️

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I love hearing about your own twists and turns – did you add extra cheese? Throw in some jalapeños? Make it with ground turkey instead? Share your variations and let’s inspire each other to keep making delicious memories in our kitchens!