Rotel Pasta

Rotel pasta is the perfect semi-homemade dish for when jarred marinara just won't cut it for dinnertime pasta; Rotel is the perfect base for building a flavorful pasta sauce quickly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican-American

Keyword rotel pasta

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 715kcal

Author Christina Koncker

Equipment

1 brasier

Ingredients

8 ounces fettuccine pasta
½ pound chorizo (I used Johnsonville)
1 10-ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes, undrained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno (optional)
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 ounces cream cheese
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Heat a deep-sided pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 7-8 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break the chorizo into smaller pieces as it cooks.
At the same time, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta in. Cook pasta according to package instructions, then strain and set aside until the sauce is ready. Note: Save some of the pasta water just in case!
Once the chorizo has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and strain off the excess grease. I like to do this by straining through a sieve, then pouring the strained chorizo onto paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
Set the chorizo aside, and return the pan to medium heat. Add the Rotel, diced canned jalapeno (optional), garlic salt, onion powder, and oregano to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer (this will take a few minutes).
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cream cheese to the Rotel Pasta sauce. Stir until melted and completely incorporated. Add back in the chorizo and stir, then add in the heavy cream. Stir until incorporated. If you aren’t completely satisfied with the sauce thickness, add some of the leftover pasta water, a little at a time. Or if it’s too thin, continue cooking for a few additional minutes until it reduces down.
Add the cooked pasta to the Rotel sauce and stir until fully coated. Serve immediately, preferably with breadsticks or garlic bread.

Notes

Save a cup of pasta water in case you need to adjust the viscosity before serving.

Nutrition