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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, comforting Mexican pasta night.
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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: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rotini pasta fiesta ingredients
  • 1 lb rotini pasta Use rotini for maximum sauce cling.
  • 1 lb ground beef 90% lean works well.
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 taco seasoning Packet taco seasoning.
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded Reserve a little for topping if desired.
  • 1 Salt to taste
  • 1 Fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook rotini until al dente (about 8–10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set the pasta aside.
Brown beef and build flavor
  1. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and diced onion, and cook until browned (about 6–8 minutes), stirring as needed. Drain excess fat, add minced garlic and taco seasoning, and cook 1 minute while fragrant.
Simmer Rotel sauce
  1. Add Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, and beef broth to the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened.
Make it cheesy
  1. Stir in heavy cream and bring the mixture back to a simmer, keeping it at a gentle bubbling. Stir in shredded cheddar and continue stirring until fully melted and smooth.
Toss and serve
  1. Add the drained rotini to the skillet and toss until every spiral is coated. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time to thin the sauce if needed.
  2. Serve immediately, topped with fresh cilantro and extra cheddar.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve pasta water and add it gradually to control how creamy and clingy the sauce is. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because cream-based cheese sauces can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and reduce cheddar slightly.