Crock Pot Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef and Cheese
Crock Pot Rotel Pasta is a creamy, cheesy comfort-food dinner made with ground beef, onions, bell peppers, zesty Rotel tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and Velveeta. The slow cooker brings the savory ingredients together for a rich Tex-Mex-inspired meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Customize the spice level and add your favorite vegetables for an easy family dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces pasta, such as rotini or penne
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the diced onion and bell pepper until the beef is browned and the vegetables begin to soften. Drain excess grease.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the Rotel tomatoes with their juices, cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2–2 hours, until hot and the vegetables are tender.
- Cut the Velveeta into cubes and stir it into the mixture with the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the cheesy beef mixture. If the sauce is too thick, add a little warm broth. Taste and season with salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.
- Serve warm while the sauce is creamy and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Notes
- Brown the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker for better flavor and to remove excess grease.
- Ground turkey can replace the ground beef if preferred.
- Use mild Rotel for a gentler flavor or hot Rotel for more heat.
- Cook pasta separately and stir it in at the end to help prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Add mushrooms, corn, or drained canned beans for extra vegetables and texture.
- For a Tex-Mex variation, substitute cooked chorizo for some or all of the ground beef.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 3–4 days.
- Nutrition values are estimates per serving and vary with the brands of cheese, soup, beef, and pasta used.