This kid-approved recipe combines tomato sauce, fresh zucchini and Italian herbs for the perfect weeknight meal in under an hour!
Cheesy Beef Pasta
Ingredients
½ pound lean ground beef (15% fat)
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 small zucchini, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato-based pasta sauce
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12 ounces rotini pasta (about 4 cups)
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, garlic and zucchini over medium-high heat (350 degrees F in an electric skillet) until meat is browned and broken into pieces. Drain any fat (see Notes).
- Add the pasta sauce, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes, if desired. Bring to a simmer and cook on medium low (275 degrees F in an electric skillet) for 15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
- Drain the pasta and add to the sauce in the skillet. Stir in the cheese and cover until the cheese is melted.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Substitute broccoli for zucchini. Cook fresh broccoli with the pasta in step 3 or add frozen broccoli in step 2.
- Pour fat from cooked meat into a metal container. Let it cool, then dispose of it in a garbage can.
You might also like...
Cabbage Stir-Fry
Cabbage Stir-Fry
Quick and easy lunch or dinner option packed with veggies and ready in 30 minutes!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 Cups
Pineapple Veggie Chicken
Pineapple Veggie Chicken
Chicken breast simmered in a sweet and tangy broth with a hint of citrus, garlic, and ginger.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
10 cups
Banana Oatmeal Bread
Banana Oatmeal Bread
Warm and comforting whole-wheat banana bread that is perfect any time of day. Oats add to the moist texture.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
45 to 50 minutes
Makes:
12 slices
Garlic Ginger Ramen with Beef
Garlic Ginger Ramen with Beef
A dinner that is ready in under 30 minutes and packed with fresh ginger and garlic flavor.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
6 Cups
Microwave Applesauce
Microwave Applesauce
Enjoy warm, cinnamon-spiced applesauce in minutes with this quick and easy recipe.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
3 ½ cups
Bulgur Pilaf
Bulgur Pilaf
A warm and comforting meal combining whole grains and savory broth to make a simple, yet tasty side dish.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
3 Cups
Comments
This recipe is delicious! Instead of using beef I substituted extra firm tofu and added in some cumin and paprika to give it a little more flavor.
I've made this dish with adults and teens in cooking classes, and served it at food banks and other agencies. It's always a big hit. I make it a one-pot meal by adding the dry pasta and 1 1/2 cups water with all the other ingredients (stirring and adding a bit more water if needed as it cooks). It's super easy, and so is clean-up. We have added a variety of vegetables, sometimes 3 or 4, and even non-vegetable eaters were surprised how much they liked it.
Made this with a class of adults -- RAVE reviews.
Decided to test out this recipe with the family before using it with a class -- substituted two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes (didn't have any pasta sauce), used frozen broccoli, and added one cup of water to the recipe so I could cook the pasta in the same pan. Covered the pan, and simmered everything on low for 15 minutes, then added the cheeses.
It turned out perfect -- a healthy alternative to Hamburger Helper, but just as easy to make using the one-pan method. Thanks Food Hero -- another winner!
Great idea for making this a one skillet meal! We'll work on adding this option to the notes!
The Food Hero Team
This is such a great pasta dish! I used ground turkey instead of beef and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning instead of the basil and oregano. I was so excited to serve it that I forgot to add the cheese, but it was still tasty without it!
Made this last night, switched out the zucchini for broccoli due to a family request. It was amazing, it made so much we invited some neighbor kids over and now they all think I am a professional cook!
Delicious. You can't go wrong with these ingredients! I like adding corn to mine!
Very good, I'll definately make this again.
Very cheesy, just like the name! My kids LOVED it!