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Rotel Pasta Fiesta

Rotel pasta fiesta is an easy Tex-Mex pasta with rotini coated in a creamy, Rotel-spiked cheesy sauce. Ground beef, corn, and black beans cling to every spiral for a spicy cheesy pasta dinner that’s ready fast.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base and pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
Meat and vegetables
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic cloves
Sauce and beans
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained.
  • 1 cup frozen corn Thawed.
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Cheese and finishing
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese Shredded.
  • 0.25 Salt To taste.
  • 1 Fresh cilantro For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Cook rotini until al dente in boiling salted water, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
  2. Set the drained rotini aside while you make the sauce.
Brown the beef and build flavor
  1. Brown ground beef with diced onion over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through, then drain the fat.
  2. Add minced garlic and taco seasoning, cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
Simmer the Rotel sauce
  1. Add Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, and beef broth, then simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  3. Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until fully melted and smooth.
Combine and serve
  1. Toss the rotini with the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water to thin only if needed.
  2. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and extra cheddar.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sauce simmering gently so the cheddar melts smoothly without breaking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not ideal because the heavy cream can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce cheddar slightly for a lower-fat version.