Description
Velveeta beef & bowtie pasta brings cheesy comfort to your dinner table with a rich, hearty blend of flavors. Melted cheese and tender beef create a satisfying meal that promises to delight you with its creamy, savory goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.25 pounds ground beef
- 1 box bowtie noodles (farfalle)
- 1 big block of Velveeta cheese, cubed (16 ounces/453 grams)
Dairy and Creamy Components:
- 1 (8 ounces/226 grams) block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained
- (Optional) 1 cup pasta water, reserved to thin the sauce
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a rolling boil at high heat. Submerge bowtie pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender yet firm, stirring occasionally.
- Drain pasta, reserving one cup of starchy cooking liquid, and set noodles aside for later use.
- Heat a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature. Crumble ground beef into the pan, cooking until completely browned and no pink remains, approximately 7-9 minutes.
- Eliminate excess grease from the skillet if needed, keeping the meat in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium and introduce cubed Velveeta, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and undrained Rotel tomatoes directly into the skillet with browned beef.
- Stir ingredients continuously, allowing cheeses to melt and create a smooth, velvety sauce. This process typically takes 4-5 minutes.
- Gently fold cooked bowtie pasta into the creamy mixture, ensuring each noodle is generously coated with the rich sauce.
- If sauce appears too dense, gradually incorporate reserved pasta water until reaching desired consistency and creaminess.
- Transfer to serving dishes immediately while hot, ready to be enjoyed straight from the skillet.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner protein option that keeps the dish light and healthy.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika or chili powder to boost the flavor profile and give the dish a subtle kick without overwhelming the creamy texture.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free bowtie pasta and check that cream of chicken soup is gluten-free, ensuring everyone can enjoy this comforting meal.
- Enhance nutritional value by stirring in some frozen mixed vegetables like peas or diced carrots during the final combining stage, creating a more balanced one-pot meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 724
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 49 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg