Southwest Beef Cavatappi with Smoky Red Pepper Crema

This hearty pasta skillet brings together the best of Southwest flavors and Italian comfort food. Twisty cavatappi noodles are tossed with seasoned ground beef, sautéed green peppers and a rich, smoky red pepper crema, then finished with a blanket of melted Mexican cheese and a sprinkle of scallions.

Ready in just 35 minutes, this one-pan meal is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something bold, creamy and satisfying. A drizzle of hot sauce adds the perfect kick, while sour cream and butter make the sauce luxuriously smooth.

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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

10 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 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. 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.
3. 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 in your pan, carefully pour it out. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring occasionally, until combined, 30 seconds.
4. 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.
5. Reduce heat to low and stir in drained cavatappi, sour cream, smoky red pepper crema, half the Mexican cheese blend (you’ll use the rest in the next step), 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.
6. 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, rotini or fusilli works well in this recipe.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

It’s best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water or broth to restore creaminess.

Is there a substitute for smoky red pepper crema?

You can mix 3 tablespoons sour cream with 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne as a quick substitute.