Southwest Beef Cavatappi with Smoky Red Pepper Crema

This hearty skillet supper brings together the best of two worlds: the bold, smoky flavors of the Southwest and the comforting twirls of cavatappi pasta. With seasoned ground beef, sautéed green peppers and a creamy red pepper crema, every bite is packed with warmth and spice. A sprinkle of scallion greens adds a fresh finish.

Perfect for busy weeknights, this one-pan meal comes together quickly and uses simple ingredients. The creamy sauce, made with sour cream and smoky red pepper crema, coats the pasta beautifully, while a blend of Mexican cheeses melts on top for a golden, bubbly finish. Serve with your favorite hot sauce for an extra kick!

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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

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView 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 the 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, then drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large drizzle of oil in a medium pan 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 ground 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 and beef stock concentrates to pan with beef mixture. Season with ½ tsp salt 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 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 rotini works well.

What can I substitute for smoky red pepper crema?

Mix 2 tablespoons sour cream with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne.

How do I store leftovers?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water.