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Velveeta Linguine with Italian Beef Marinara

A comforting blend of creamy Velveeta cheese and savory Italian beef simmered in a robust marinara sauce, served with al dente linguine.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Cheese
  • 8 oz Linguine Pasta Dried, preferably Barilla or De Cecco
  • 16 oz Velveeta Cheese Essential for creamy texture; can experiment with other melting cheeses
Meat and Sauce
  • 1 lb Ground Italian Beef Choose lean ground beef for less grease; 80/20 recommended for flavor
  • 24 oz Marinara Sauce Store-bought is fine; homemade with San Marzano tomatoes is preferred
Vegetables and Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil For cooking the meat and preventing sticking
  • 3 cloves Garlic Freshly chopped
  • 1 medium Onion Finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning Blend of traditional herbs
  • to taste Salt & Pepper Essential for seasoning

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large pot, bring salted water to boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and add linguine. Cook for about 9-11 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally.
  2. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
Cooking the Beef
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, sauté until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
  2. Add ground Italian beef, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook until browned (about 5-7 minutes).
  3. Drain any excess fat to prevent greasiness.
Combining the Sauce
  1. Stir in marinara sauce to the beef mixture. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
Mixing it All Together
  1. Add the cooked linguine into the beef and sauce mixture. Fold in Velveeta cheese gradually.
  2. Add reserved pasta water to achieve desired creaminess.
  3. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of Italian seasoning to taste.
Serving
  1. Plate immediately, garnished with fresh parsley or grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, adding water to maintain creaminess. Make the sauce a day ahead for convenience.