This Instant Pot Rotel Pasta is inspired by the classic Rotel dip. This version has penne pasta, seasonings, and ground beef. Cream cheese and American cheese are melted down into the hot pasta to create a creamy, cheesy, pasta dish.
What's in Instant Pot Rotel Pasta?
The ingredients in this Rotel pasta are simple and create a smooth and creamy pasta.
- Ground beef
- Onion, diced
- Green pepper, diced
- Original Rotel - this pasta is mild so if you want it spicy, use the Hot variety.
- Cream cheese, softened
- American cheese
- Milk
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Penne pasta
- Chicken broth
How to Make Rotel Pasta
Making this pasta in the Instant Pot is easy. Once the ground beef is sauteed, everything is added to the pot and pressure cooked.
Cook the ground beef- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the ground beef and cook until the beef is browned. Drain any grease as necessary. Press cancel.
Add the seasonings- Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper on top of the beef.
Use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits to prevent a "burn" notice.
Add the pasta- Add the penne pasta in an even layer in the Instant Pot.
Add the veggies- Top the pasta off with the onion, pepper, and the can of Rotel. Do not stir.
Pour in the chicken broth. Do not stir.
Pressure cook using High Pressure- Close the lid and pressure cook on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes using High Pressure.
Release the pressure- Once the timer is up, do a quick release (QR). Release the pressure carefully to prevent the vent from spewing steam and liquid.
Add the cheese and cream cheese- Remove the lid and set the pot to Saute. If there is any liquid left in the pot, that's fine! Stir in the cream cheese and the American cheese. Stir until the cheese and cream cheese are melted.
Press cancel and serve.
RELATED: Black Bean Cojita Cheese Dip
Make Spicy Rotel Pasta
This Instant Pot Rotel Pasta has a mild flavor but you can make it spicy with just a few tweaks.
- Use chorizo or hot sausage instead of ground beef.
- Add jalapenos
- Substitute the Original Rotel tomatoes with green chilies for the Hot variety.
ROTEL: Quick and Delicious Fruit Dip
Make the Classic Rotel Dip
The classic Rotel dip is a ground pleaser and a great addition to Game Day, potlucks, and other parties. It makes enough to feed a crowd and it's so easy to make! Get the Crockpot recipe for this dip here!
The Instant Pot Rotel Pasta in this post is based on the classic Rotel and Velveeta Dip recipe.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Rotel Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion - diced
- 1 green pepper - diced
- 10 ounces Original Rotel
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 8 oz American cheese sliced
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the ground beef and cook until the beef is browned. Drain any grease as necessary.
- Press cancel.
- Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper on top of the beef.
Use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits to prevent a "burn" notice. - Add the penne pasta in an even layer in the Instant Pot.
- Top the pasta off with the onion, pepper, and the can of Rotel. Do not stir.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Do not stir.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes using High Pressure.
- Once the timer is up, do a quick release (QR). Release the pressure carefully to prevent the vent from spewing steam and liquid.
- Remove the lid and set the pot to Saute. If there is any liquid left in the pot, that's fine!
- Stir in the cream cheese and the American cheese.
- Stir until the cheese and cream cheese are melted. The sauce will thicken.
- Press cancel and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Ann says
This pasta dish was delicious! I do not own an Instant Pot, so I just made it on the stovetop. Still turned out great!
amy liu dong says
Wow! This "Instant Pot Rotel Pasta" recipe looks absolutely delicious! I totally love it and the presentation makes it enticing and tempting! We can never go wrong with pasta!
Cheryl Lynn says
Where does the milk go in?