Description
Velveeta beef bowtie pasta brings creamy comfort to weeknight dinners. Hearty cheese sauce and tender pasta create a satisfying meal perfect for families craving simple, delicious cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (1 pound) ground beef (80/20 or lean)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional, for extra cheesiness)
- 8 oz (8 ounces) Velveeta cheese (cubed)
- 12 oz (12 ounces) bowtie (farfalle) pasta
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (drained, optional for spice)
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water and cook bowtie pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside while maintaining warmth.
- Meat Foundation: Sauté ground beef with onions in a skillet, breaking meat into fine crumbles until thoroughly cooked and onions become translucent, carefully draining excess fat.
- Flavor Enhancement: Introduce minced garlic, selected seasonings, and Rotel to the meat mixture, allowing ingredients to meld and develop a rich, aromatic profile for several minutes.
- Cheese Sauce Creation: Develop a smooth roux by whisking melted butter and flour, gradually incorporating milk and stirring consistently to prevent lumping and achieve a silky base.
- Cheese Integration: Gently fold Velveeta cubes and shredded cheddar into the sauce, stirring until completely melted and forming a luxurious, creamy consistency.
- Final Composition: Combine seasoned beef, perfectly cooked pasta, and velvety cheese sauce in the skillet, ensuring comprehensive coating and thorough heating to marry all flavors.
- Serving Presentation: Transfer to serving dishes, optionally garnishing with fresh parsley or an additional cheese sprinkle to elevate visual appeal and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Manage Pasta Texture: Cook bowtie pasta just until al dente to prevent mushiness, ensuring a perfect bite that holds sauce beautifully.
- Drain Beef Fat Thoroughly: Remove excess grease completely to avoid a greasy, heavy dish and maintain a clean, rich flavor profile.
- Prevent Cheese Sauce Clumping: Melt cheese slowly over low heat, stirring constantly to create a smooth, velvety sauce without unwanted lumps or separation.
- Customize for Dietary Needs: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or plant-based crumbles, use gluten-free pasta, and choose lactose-free cheese alternatives to adapt the recipe for different dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg