Description
Comfort meets convenience in this cheesy ground beef pasta skillet, blending hearty flavors with simple ingredients. Creamy, melted cheese and savory beef create a quick one-pan meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Pasta and Aromatics:
- 2 cups ziti pasta (cooked)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley (plus more for garnish)
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta al dente according to package instructions, removing it from boiling water one minute early to maintain a slight firmness. Carefully set aside half a cup of pasta water before draining, ensuring no rinsing occurs.
- Heat a large skillet over high temperature and add olive oil. Introduce ground beef, vigorously breaking it into crumbled pieces using a wooden spoon until perfectly browned, approximately two minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and season the meat with salt and black pepper. Incorporate minced garlic, diced onions, red chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste, creating a rich, aromatic base.
- Pour in the reserved pasta water, stirring thoroughly to integrate all ingredients. Allow the mixture to simmer gently, letting the beef become tender and the flavors meld together, around 8-10 minutes.
- Fold the cooked pasta into the skillet, ensuring complete coating with the savory meat sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese generously throughout the dish, creating pockets of melting goodness.
- Cover the skillet with a lid, allowing residual heat to melt the cheese to a luxurious, stretchy consistency. Finish by garnishing with fresh parsley for a vibrant touch of color and additional flavor.
Notes
- Always cook pasta slightly under al dente since it will continue cooking when mixed with the beef mixture, preventing mushy texture.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess fat but ensure enough moisture by adding reserved pasta water gradually.
- For gluten-free version, substitute regular pasta with chickpea or zucchini noodles and verify Worcestershire sauce ingredients.
- Experiment with cheese variations like sharp cheddar or pepper jack to create different flavor profiles while maintaining creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg