Southwestern Pasta

This colorful pasta dish combines ground beef, rotini pasta, green chiles, salsa and refried beans in a creamy cheese sauce.

This recipe was a finalist in the 2002 Ortega® “Create a Fiesta, Win a Siesta!” Contest, the dish was submitted by Kay Niedenthal of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 cups (1 pound) dry rotini pasta, cooked to package instructions, drained, kept hot
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (16-ounce) jar ORTEGA Salsa - Homestyle Recipe (Mild), or any flavor
1 (16-ounce) can ORTEGA® Refried Beans
1/4 cup water
1 (15-ounce) jar processed cheese dip
1 (7-ounce) can ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Suggested garnishes: sour cream, chopped tomato, and/or sliced green onion

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Cook beef and onion in large skillet until beef is browned; drain. Stir in salsa, beans and water.
3. Combine hot pasta, cheese dip, chiles, milk and salt in large bowl; spread into 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Spoon meat mixture on top of pasta, letting some of the pasta mixture show through; cover.
4. Bake for 25 minutes; uncover. Sprinkle with cheese; bake uncovered for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish as desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Ortega and B&G Foods, Inc.