Description
This Cheesy Velveeta Rotini with Italian Beef Marinara is the ultimate comfort food. Rotini pasta swirled into creamy Velveeta cheese and hearty Italian marinara beef sauce, topped with bubbling mozzarella for a rich, golden finish. It’s family-friendly, make-ahead ready, and freezer-friendly too!
Ingredients
16 oz rotini pasta
1 lb ground beef
24 oz marinara sauce
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain excess fat.
3. Season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
4. Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the seasoned beef. Simmer for 5–7 minutes to blend flavors.
5. Reduce heat to low and add Velveeta cubes. Stir continuously until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
6. Add cooked rotini to the skillet and toss until all pasta is coated with the cheesy beef sauce.
7. Transfer everything into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella.
8. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
9. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve hot.
Notes
Be sure to melt Velveeta on low heat to maintain a smooth texture—high heat may cause graininess.
You can fully assemble the dish ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake when ready (add 10 minutes to bake time).
Add red pepper flakes or swap for spicy marinara to give it a heat boost if you love spice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: cheesy pasta, Velveeta recipes, beef marinara, baked rotini