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Cheesy Taco Ground Beef Casserole Smothered in Velveeta Cream
Isabella

Cheesy Taco Ground Beef Casserole Smothered in Velveeta Cream

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 1 ½ lbs ground beef 80/20
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 8 oz Velveeta cubed
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup sliced green onions
  • ⅓ cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a deep 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Cook rotini in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion, breaking beef into crumbles. Cook 8 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat.
  4. Add garlic, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir 1 minute. Add fire-roasted tomatoes and tomatoes with green chilies. Simmer 5 minutes.
  5. In a separate pot, simmer heavy cream over medium heat. Add Velveeta and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups cheddar, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan until extremely thick and glossy.
  6. Add cooked rotini and beef mixture to the cheese sauce. Toss until fully mixed and heavily smothered throughout.
  7. Transfer to the baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella. Bake 25 minutes until golden, bubbling, and crusted on top.
  8. Sprinkle with green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve while cheese is still stretching.