Creamy Rotel Pasta
With a creamy cheese sauce, spicy tomatoes, and spicy sausage, this Rotel Pasta recipe is super simple and extra tasty!
Rotel Pasta Recipe
This cheesy chicken easy pasta recipe is one of my favorite recipes because it always has my family going back for second helpings, and makes for great leftovers.
The first time I made this I was pleasantly surprised by the spicy kick, and it was a huge hit. Just like this spicy lasagna soup and this jambalaya pasta.
When it comes to an easy weeknight meal, this creamy cheesy sauce is hard to beat! I love Rotel as it’s an easy way to add flavor to a meal. Like my rotel chili and this baked chicken spaghetti.
Ingredients Needed
Pasta – For my gluten free families, substitute your favorite gluten free pasta. Save a cup of the cooking liquid to thicken the sauce.
Italian sausage – Swap with ground beef, shredded rotisserie chicken, or boneless skinless chicken breasts based on preference.
Onion – Fresh onion is best (I personally use green onions), but you can substitute with onion powder as needed.
Garlic – I recommend fresh garlic, but if that’s unavailable you can replace with minced or garlic powder.
Half and half – Replace the half and half with equal parts milk and heavy cream.
Heavy cream – Swap out for a mix of half and half with butter, or a cream soup.
Rotel – If you can’t find a can of Rotel tomatoes, you can mix diced tomatoes with lime juice, green chiles, and cilantro.
Cream cheese – Cream cheese can be replaced with sour cream or greek yogurt.
Shredded cheese – The best way to make this recipe is with a Mexican blend, but you can use cheddar cheese, velveeta cheese, or any cheese of your choice.
Cajun seasoning – Substitute for taco seasoning if needed.
Pantry staples – Salt, black pepper, unsalted butter, all purpose flour, fresh parsley.
Looking for more leftover worthy dishes? Follow LTB on Pinterest and pin to a board!
How To Make Rotel Pasta
First: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve pasta water. Set cooked spaghetti aside.
Second: In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble Italian sausage. Continue cooking over medium to medium-high heat until there is no pink left.
Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Remove excess fat from pan.
Third: Add in butter and diced onions. Cook until onions soften, before adding in minced garlic and cooking for 1-2 more minutes.
Stir in flour. Cook for a minute to remove raw flour taste.
Fourth: Pour in heavy cream, half and half, and Rotel. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Stir in spices, cream cheese, and shredded cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Fifth: Add pasta and sausage. Stir to combine remaining ingredients. Garnish with parsley and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does it last?
Store any leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing it.
How do I reheat it?
To reheat, microwave in the oven, for 1 minute intervals, until heated through. Or bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it’s heated through.
You can always add a little chicken broth to get the sauce creamy again.
Serving Suggestions
I love this recipe all by itself but if you want to round out dinner, serve it with a chopped salad, some green beans, and maybe a fun dessert like this peanut butter fluff!
Tips for No Leftovers
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water for maximum flavor.
- If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with some pasta water while it’s still in the skillet.
- Swap with chicken for a Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Recipe!
- If you want to sneak in extra veggies, try using green bell peppers! They blend well with the Rotel tomato mixture, and you won’t even know they’re there.
- Not a fan of spicy? Try creating your own mild rotel mixture! This allows you to control the amount of green chilies that are in it, so you can add a little bit or a lot.
- Leftover chicken tastes amazing in this cheesy sauce, so I recommend trying it at least once. Serve it with some green peas!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
As one of the most popular recipes I’ve made, this Rotel Pasta dish features tender penne pasta in a creamy sauce. A great recipe for busy weeknights when you don’t have a lot of extra time for cooking.
Rotel Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 10 oz Rotel
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese Mexican blend is best but use whatever
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water for later.
- In a large skillet crumble the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat until no longer pink.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove excess fat from pan.
- Add the 2 tablespoons butter and diced onion. Cook until onion starts to soften. Add in minced garlic, stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir and cook for a minute to remove the raw flour taste. Pour in heavy cream, half and half, and both cans Rotel.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the spices, cream cheese, and shredded cheese. Cook while stirring until the cream cheese and shredded cheese is melted.
- Add the cooked sausage and pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine everything.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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