Creamy Rotel Pasta with Sausage is a wonderful comfort food dinner that explodes with flavor. This tender pasta with Rotel and onions in a herb-flavored creamy cheese sauce is so tasty, and warming, and whips together in 30 minutes.!
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Creamy, hearty pasta dinners, like my One Pot Creamy Cheesy Enchilada Pasta, are always a hit in my kitchen and I love how easy they are, especially if they're really creamy like my Creamy Chicken Pasta. You just can't go wrong with these kinds of recipes, and this Creamy Pasta with Rotel does not disappoint in the creamy, tender, filling, super easy, and delicious categories!
Why This Recipe Works
It's a dinner that the whole family will enjoy, no complaints around the table.
The ingredients are very simple to modify. You can easily change the heat level, the flavor profile, the type of pasta used, etc.
It's a quick and easy weeknight dinner served with a side of my Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
Simple Ingredients
- Pasta: Rotini was used, but any shorter pasta cut will work. Other options are penne, fusilli, large shells, or macaroni.
- Cooking oil: olive oil was my choice, but other oils are options are fine.
- Meat and Vegetable: Italian sausage is what I used. You could use hot sausage, mild sausage, etc. Italian sausage can be swapped out for ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- Onion: White or yellow works.
- Herbs and Spices: minced garlic cloves, chili powder, salt, and smoked paprika. Using fresh garlic is key; garlic powder won't give the same pop of flavor.
- Rotel: I used drained Rotel tomatoes and green chiles but you can use other Rotel varieties like mild Rotel. spicy hot Rotel, etc..
- Cooking liquids and sauces: low sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce is what I used, but beef broth could be swapped for turkey, vegetable, or chicken broth
- Cheesy and creamy ingredients: heavy cream, cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese are the stars of the creamy sauce. The next time you make this, try other cheese options like sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella, Colby Jack or pepper Jack cheese.
How to Make Creamy Rotel Pasta with Sausage
- Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the Italian sausage, diced onion, and garlic.
- Step 2: Cook and stir until sausage is browned. Add herbs and spices and stir.
- Step 3: Pour can of Rotel in with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and simmer.
- Step 4: Add heavy whipping cream with cream cheese to the mixture and simmer a little more.
- Step 5: Add in shredded cheese and stir everything together.
- Step 6: Cook pasta al dente according to the directions on the package and add the cooked pasta to the sauce mixture. Combine everything, garnish, serve, and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Any leftover Rotel Pasta should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The longer the pasta sits in the tomatoes and cream sauce, the faster it breaks down.
- For the best cheesy goodness, be sure to use fesh shredded cheese since it melts better than the bagged pre-shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pay attention to the cooking time on the back of whatever pasta you choose as each type will require a different cook time.
Recipe Faq's
While this original recipe is quite yummy, here are a few other things you can add to change it up with little effort. Make this even creamier by adding a dollop or two of sour cream when adding the cream cheese. Additionally, you can add other vegetables like diced bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, carrots, sliced mushrooms, asparagus, etc. Need a spicy kick? Add some sliced jalapenos, black pepper, or cayenne pepper.
The original Texas family recipe - made with a signature blend of vine-ripened tomatoes and zesty green chilies and a savory mixture of secret spices.
Yes, you can use ground beef in place of Italian sausage for this pasta dish.
More Pasta Recipes
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Cream Rotel Pasta with Sausage
Ingredients
- 10 ounces rotini pasta 3 1/2 cups dried pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cans rotel tomatoes and green chiles drained
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve!
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente according to the package directions, drain and set aside.
- In a large 12 inch skillet heat the olive oil on medium high heat and add the Italian sausage, onion and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally until browned. Drain extra fat if needed.
- Add in the chili powder, salt and smoked paprika and stir.
- Add in the rotel tomatoes, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add in the whipping cream and cream cheese and simmer until smooth.
- Add in the shredded cheese and cooked pasta and toss until coated (sauce will thicken up as it cools.)
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve!
Made this tonight we really liked it. Will definitely make this again.
So happy you loved it Melissa 🙂
This easy, family-friendly dish is absolutely delicious! I made it for company this weekend, and it was a big hit!