Creamy Cheddar Jack Beef Penne with Roasted Peppers
Creamy Cheddar Jack Beef Penne with Roasted Peppers is a gourmet home-style take on Hamburger Helper—a childhood comfort food grown up and upgraded with real ingredients.
We’ve all had those nights staring into the refrigerator, seeing a pound of ground beef and some pasta, and wishing for an easy way to turn them into dinner.
My Gluten-Free Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet is another easy way to turn ground beef and pasta into a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Gluten-Free Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
This recipe came from exactly that kind of kitchen improvisation.
Instead of making a cheese sauce from scratch or reaching for a powdered seasoning packet, La Terra Fina Cheddar Jack & Roasted Peppers Dip & Spread becomes the sauce.
Made with cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, Monterey Jack, fire-roasted poblano, jalapeño, and red bell pepper, the dip gives the pasta a creamy, cheesy sauce with a little roasted-pepper heat.
Ground beef and penne turn it into a hearty, satisfying dinner with only three main ingredients.
Gluten-Free Creamy Spinach Artichoke Fusilli with Roasted Tomatoes
I’ve also used La Terra Fina as an easy pasta sauce in my Gluten-Free Creamy Spinach Artichoke Fusilli with Roasted Tomatoes.
Creamy Cheddar Jack Beef Penne with Roasted Peppers
Creamy Cheddar Jack Beef Penne with Roasted Peppers is a gourmet home-style take on Hamburger Helper—a childhood comfort food grown up and upgraded with real ingredients.
Made with ground beef, penne pasta, and a creamy cheddar Jack dip with fire-roasted peppers, it turns three simple ingredients into an easy, cheesy dinner.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (Wagyu or regular ground beef)
8 oz penne pasta (gluten-free chickpea penne, regular penne, or another gluten-free penne)
1 1/2 cups La Terra Fina Cheddar Jack & Roasted Peppers Dip & Spread
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
Need a substitution? View our kitchen swaps reference guide for smart, flavor-forward ingredient swaps — covering aromatics, pantry staples, dairy, proteins, and more.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as it browns. Drain off the excess fat and set the beef aside.
Meanwhile, cook the penne in boiling water according to the package directions.
If using chickpea or another gluten-free pasta, begin checking it early and avoid overcooking so the pasta holds its shape when mixed with the sauce.
Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the penne and set aside.
Place 1 1/2 cups La Terra Fina Cheddar Jack & Roasted Peppers Dip & Spread in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Place the baking dish in the 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes, just until the dip is hot, softened, and easy to stir.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add the cooked ground beef and drained penne directly to the warmed dip. Gently stir until the beef and pasta are evenly coated.
Add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and stir thoroughly. If the sauce is still thicker than you prefer, continue adding pasta water 1/8 cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until it reaches your desired creamy consistency.
If the beef and pasta have cooled during assembly, return the baking dish to the 300°F oven for about 5 minutes, just until everything is warmed through. Serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pasta warm directly from the baking dish. The sauce will thicken somewhat as it stands, particularly when made with chickpea pasta, so keep the remaining reserved pasta water nearby until serving.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. The pasta will continue absorbing some of the sauce as it sits, so refrigerated leftovers will be thicker than the freshly prepared dish.
For an individual portion, add about 1 teaspoon of water before reheating and stir gently. Add another teaspoon if needed to restore the creamy consistency. Reheat only until warmed through to help prevent gluten-free pasta from becoming overly soft or breaking apart.
Gluten-Free One-Skillet Chicken Sausage & Pasta
For another easy gluten-free pasta dinner, try my Gluten-Free One-Skillet Chicken Sausage & Pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use Wagyu ground beef?
No. Regular ground beef works perfectly. Wagyu adds a richer flavor, but lean ground beef or ground chuck will also make a delicious meal.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Short pasta shapes such as rotini, fusilli, or cavatappi work well because their curves and ridges hold onto the creamy cheese sauce. For another ground-beef-and-pasta dinner, try my Gluten-Free Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet.
Why do I need to reserve the pasta cooking water?
The starchy pasta water loosens the thick dip and helps create a smooth, creamy sauce that coats the beef and penne without diluting the flavor.
Can I make this entirely on the stovetop instead of using the oven?
Yes. Skip the oven step and warm the La Terra Fina dip in a large skillet over low heat until softened. Add the cooked ground beef and hot pasta, then stir in reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Can I freeze this dish?
Freezing isn’t recommended. Dairy-based sauces can separate or become grainy after freezing and thawing, and gluten-free pasta can also lose some of its texture.
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