Cheesy Creamy Rotini Pasta Recipe

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5 minutes
January 23, 2023
RosieJump to Recipe

This easy Rotini Pasta recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes. Cheesy pasta dish with an incredibly flavorful creamy tomato sauce and lots of mozzarella will become your new favorite comfort food. The perfect easy pasta dinner for a busy weeknight.

Rotini Pasta on a blue plate

Rotini Pasta vs. Fusilli

However, you’ll find the word “fusilli” sometimes incorrectly used to describe another twisted pasta called rotini. In order to distinguish the two types of pasta is to remember that fusilli is made of strands of pasta twisted into little spring-like shapes. On the other hand, rotini is typically extruded into a twisted shape.

The twisted shape of rotini allows it to hold onto sauces incredibly well, compared to most other pasta shapes. In this way, this pasta remains one of the best ones to use when making sauce without any meat or veggies. Rotini pairs best with thick, smooth sauces. In addition, it also goes well in salad dishes, casseroles, and stir-fry dishes.

Cooking Rotini Pasta: Tips & Tricks

Before getting started, here are some tips and tricks you can use when cooking rotini in order to achieve the best results:

rotini pasta in a fork on a plate
  • Rotini pasta is versatile because it will pair well with many side dishes of your choice. I recommend a fresh lettuce salad, crispy garlic bread, and even some grilled Italian sausages. Or, if your family is like mine, prepare them all because they eat like baby bears anyway!
  • There are different types of cheese that you can use in this rotini pasta recipe. You can go for a simple mozzarella and cheddar mix or experiment with more flavored cheese. Also, I always add some extra parmesan cheese on top of every serving.
  • Use leftovers in other recipes you love. One way that I like to reuse this creamy pasta is in a greek salad. A vegetable mix with feta cheese and avocado slices pairs perfectly with some rotini pasta. Mix them in a bowl with some olive oil and lemon juice and serve cold. You’ll love it!

How to Make the Best Rotini Pasta?

Homemade Rotini Pasta with cheese, tomato sauce, and cream is such a simple and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Creamy pasta tossed in the delicious sauce will become your kids’ favorite dinner dish. Not to mention this will be such a pleasure for you too to cook. 30 minutes tops and everything is ready to serve!

rotini pasta

Ingredient List

Keep in mind that this ingredient list is perfect for 6 servings (6 big bowls of rotini pasta). So, if you’d like to serve this pasta recipe with its creamy sauce to more than 6 people, feel free to adapt the quantities.

rotini pasta ingredients
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter;
  • 12 ounces of Rotini or any other small-shaped pasta;
  • 1 small chopped onion;
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil;
  • 4 cloves of minced garlic;
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning;
  • 2 cups of tomato passata;
  • 1 tsp. sugar;
  • 1 crumbled chicken bouillon cube;
  • ½ tsp. salt;
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes;
  • ½ tsp. pepper;
  • 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese;
  • 1 cup half-and-a-half cream.

Rotini Pasta Step-by-Step Recipe

Trust me: if you give this dish a try, you’ll never stop cooking it once in a while! The instructions are simple, the ingredients are more than affordable, and the result is creamy pasta for the whole family. So, why don’t we just start preparing it?

  1. The first thing you need to do is cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Then, you must drain most of the pasta water but reserve some of it.
  2. Take a large skillet, turn the heat on medium and add olive oil and butter. Then, once the butter has melted, you must add the onion and let it cook for between three and five minutes.
  1. Once the onion is translucent and soft, you must add garlic and let it cook for thirty seconds.
onion
  1. Add the bouillon cube, tomato passata, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
  1. Stir all the ingredients and let them simmer for five minutes.
  2. Next, stir the cream and let it simmer for at least two or three minutes.
cream
  1. Finally, add the mozzarella cheese and pasta and keep mixing to combine well.
  1. Let it all cook for a few minutes until the pasta is warm. Keep in mind that if the sauce becomes too thick at this point, then you can add a dash of the pasta water.
  2. Take out the pasta and serve it with grated Parmesan cheese, basil, or parsley.
rotini pasta
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rotini pasta

Cheesy Creamy Rotini Pasta Recipe

You can create our tasty rotini pasta in less than half an hour for one of the most comforting winter dishes you will get to have.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • Two tbsp. unsalted butter
  • Twelve ounces of Rotini or any other small-shaped pasta
  • One small chopped onion
  • One tbsp. olive oil
  • Four cloves of minced garlic
  • One tsp. Italian seasoning
  • Two cups of tomato passata
  • One tsp. sugar
  • One crumbled chicken bouillon cube
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • One cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • One cup half and a half cream

Instructions

  1. The first thing you need to do is cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Then, you must drain most of the pasta water but reserve some of it.
  2. Take a large skillet, turn the heat on medium and add olive oil and butter. Then, once the butter has melted, you must add the onion and let it cook for between three and five minutes.
  3. Once the onion is translucent and soft, you must add garlic and let it cook for thirty seconds.
  4. Add the bouillon cube, tomato passata, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
  5. Stir all the ingredients and let them simmer for five minutes.
  6. Next, stir the cream and let it simmer for at least two or three minutes.
  7. Finally, add the mozzarella cheese and pasta and keep mixing to combine well.
  8. Let it all cook for a few minutes until the pasta is warm. Keep in mind that if the sauce becomes too thick at this point, then you can add a dash of the pasta water.
  9. Take out the pasta and serve it with grated Parmesan cheese, basil, or parsley.
  • Author: Rosie
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Category: Main Dish

Keywords: rotini pasta

Enjoy Your Cheesy Pasta!

All in all, this was all about the Rotini Pasta recipe! Wasn’t that fun? All those simple ingredients that paired together so perfectly in only one pot… Fascinating! However, now it’s not about my experience anymore; tell me about you! How that was? Did you achieve the desired final result? Were your kids impressed by the rotini pasta flavors? Tell me everything in the comments section below.

Furthermore, I really wanted to let you know that I’m here for all your further questions about the Rotini Pasta recipe, the kitchen in general, and everything else I can help with. Just let me know what are your curiosities and dilemmas in the comment section below. I always make time to take a look at that section and answer all my beloved readers’ questions.

Last but not least, I know how much you love pasta (after all, you are my beloved reader), so I prepared three more pasta recipes from the weary chef that I love. The three next pasta recipes are creamy, easy to prepare, and full of flavor:

Rosie

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