Smoky Southwest Beef and Cavatappi with Red Pepper Crema

This skillet supper brings together the best of Southwest and Italian cuisines. Twisty cavatappi pasta is tossed with seasoned ground beef, sautéed green peppers and a smoky red pepper crema for a creamy, slightly spicy sauce. A blend of Mexican cheeses melts on top, while scallions add a fresh finish.

Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish comes together in just 35 minutes using one pan. The smoky crema and hot sauce give it a gentle kick, but you can adjust the heat to your liking. Serve it straight from the skillet for a comforting meal that’s sure to become a favorite.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Cavatappi PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TofuView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Halve, deseed and thinly slice green pepper into strips. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
2. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large drizzle of oil in a medium pan (large pan for 4) over medium-high heat. Add green pepper and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add a drizzle of oil to pan with green pepper. Add beef, scallion whites and Southwest Spice Blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. If there’s excess grease, carefully pour it out. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring occasionally, until combined, 30 seconds.
5. Add ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (¾ cup for 4 servings) and stock concentrates to pan with beef mixture. Season with ½ tsp salt (1 tsp for 4) and a pinch of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low and stir in drained cavatappi, sour cream, smoky red pepper crema, half the Mexican cheese blend, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.
7. Top beef cavatappi with remaining Mexican cheese blend; cover pan until cheese melts, 1-2 minutes. Divide between bowls; top with scallion greens and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, any short pasta like penne or fusilli works well in this recipe.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely! Substitute the ground beef with plant-based crumbles or extra tofu and use vegetable stock concentrate instead of beef.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.