Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet

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May 13, 2018 by Judith Hannemann

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This beefy and cheesy skillet dinner is so good, it’s worthy of company!

Quick And Inexpensive

Lots of meals tout being quick and budget friendly. Flavor is often another matter.

This is one of those one-pot wonders that has excellent flavor. It has a deep savory taste that’s sure to please the whole family. I found this so good, I’d even serve it to company!

Leftovers? Don’t Toss It

Do you always make too much pasta? That’s something I’m always guilty of doing.

Sometimes I reheat it and throw some spaghetti sauce on it then call it “dinner,” but sometimes I like to think out of the box with it.

The original recipe calls for you to cook it for the recipe. No problems there but then it wouldn’t be a “one-pot” meal. I also thought that the amount called for in the original was way too much. If it were a meal that was meatless, perhaps. However the amount of meat to pasta was way too much. The meat, and it’s flavor, would be totally lost.

But as I said, I tend to have leftover pasta, so I didn’t bother cooking any for this. The only thing missing would be the bit of pasta water that is called for in the recipe. I used plain water and it worked well.

Everyone who reads this site knows that I really hate wasting food and use a lot of leftovers in recipes, so I think you might like some of these ideas to use up what you have from Recipe Lion. This is one that is particularly useful for me since I’m not a milk drinker so always have to use up what I have left around the expiration date. There’s plenty of great ideas in Dessert Recipes That Use Up Milk that I’m sure you’re bound to use (and love!)

Garlic

The recipe calls for a fair amount of garlic. I love the stuff–and so does anyone who eats my leftovers!

If you’re not so keen on it, cut the amount in half. If you feel likewise about onion, then cut that in half as well. I would say to do this if you are feeding this to younger children. It’ll still taste fine, but will appeal to those who prefer a milder taste. But if you have garlic lovin’ kiddos and adults, then go to town!

The Recipe

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This cheesy ground beef pasta skillet is one of those one-pot wonders that has excellent flavor. It has a deep savory taste that’s sure to please the whole family.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: beef, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ground beef, one pot pasta, quick ground beef dinners, skillet dinner

Servings: 4

Calories: 627kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 cups ziti pasta cooked see NOTES
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp crushed red chili flakes optional
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs tomato paste
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley plus more for garnish
salt to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions

Cook pasta according to al dente package directions less 1 minute. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta without rinsing.
Meanwhile in a large skillet over high heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown beef while breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Reduce to medium heat. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir in garlic, onions, chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, and 1/2 cup pasta (or plain) water. Simmer until meat is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Toss in pasta and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining cheese and cover with lid. Garish with additional parsley.
See Also
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX

Notes

I used leftover pasta. If you don't have any on hand, there are cooking directions in the recipe.

Video

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @midnitebaker or tag #midnitebaker!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Candy says
May 13, 2018 at 4:45 pm

I don’t see any directions for cooking the pasta directly in the one pot. I don’t usually have left overs so I’d like to cook it all together.
- Judith Hanneman says
  May 13, 2018 at 8:38 pm
  
  You can but you have to add water. If I’m cooking 1 cup raw pasta, I add about 1 1/2 cups water. Do this after you brown the meat and before you add the cheese. One good recommendation I can make is trying the special pastas especially made for one-pot cooking. Barilla was the first to come out with this–I forget what they call it–but it does work wonderfully.
Juli says
May 14, 2018 at 4:35 pm

I didn’t see in the directions to drain the fat from the meat after done browning… Do you not do this? Doesn’t it make the final product very greasy?
- Judith Hanneman says
  May 14, 2018 at 9:54 pm
  
  You can drain if you want to do it, but for these things I use 93% lean so it wasn’t necessary.
Angelina says
May 14, 2018 at 4:54 pm

Your recipe is seriously delicious! I’ve been making a dish very similar to this one ever since I got maried. I never have left-over pasta, so I cook-up however much I’ll be using in a separate pot (to avoid excess starch in our dish.) I use lean ground sirloin (sometimes ground turkey) and I also add a small diced bell pepper. I add a can of diced tomatoes (w/juice) and some (thawed) mixed vegetables – so it’s more of a ‘complete meal’, …since I like to get as many veggies into my kiddies as possible.
- Judith Hanneman says
  May 14, 2018 at 9:56 pm
  
  I totally agree about more veggies–for the kids and stretching purposes 🙂 That’s the beauty of these recipes. They’re great as-is but can be dressed up in many ways!!!
Robin says
May 18, 2018 at 3:00 pm

I tried this recipe today and it turned out perfect! I’m a casserole kinda girl so this was right up my alley. I cooked my pasta in a separate pot and used pasta water to thicken the sauce. I like that this is a definite tomato sauce but doesn’t have all the italian spices in it…the Worcestershire sauce gives the end dish a nice flavor. I will make this again!
- Judith Hanneman says
  May 18, 2018 at 3:04 pm
  
  I am so glad you enjoyed this!
Baxter @ Foodtalko says
May 23, 2018 at 9:55 am

So many wonderful flavors going on in here!

Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet - The Midnight Baker - Easy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to melt cheese on pasta? ›

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Return pasta to pot and place over low heat. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in milk and cheese until melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder and pepper and serve.

Get More Info ›

What to season ground beef with? ›

ingredients

2 tablespoons oregano.
1 tablespoon chili powder.
1 teaspoon cumin.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
2 teaspoons onion powder.
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt.
1 lb ground beef.
¹⁄₂ cup water.

Read The Full Story ›

How long to fry ground beef? ›

On most stove tops, browning a pound of ground beef takes approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remember, it's important to continue stirring and breaking the pieces into the same size with the wooden spoon or heatproof spatula so the ground beef cooks evenly.

Get More Info ›

How to cook ground beef on the stove top? ›

Instructions

Heat the pan and coat with oil. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. ...
Add the meat to the hot pan and break into large pieces. Add the meat to the center of the hot pan. ...
Break meat into smaller pieces, season, and brown. ...
Finish browning.

Aug 29, 2023

Get More Info ›

What spice enhances beef flavor? ›

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

Should I drain ground beef for spaghetti? ›

Drain Excess Fat

After adding the seasonings, it's important to drain any excess fat from the ground beef. Tilt the skillet or pot and use a spoon to remove the accumulated fat. By doing this, you ensure that your spaghetti sauce won't become overly greasy and that the flavors stay balanced.

What ground beef is being recalled from Walmart? ›

The recalled items, which include raw ground beef and burger patties sold in plastic-wrapped trays, were produced between April 26 and April 27, 2024. These include: 2.25-lbs. plastic-wrapped trays containing “93% LEAN 7% FAT ALL NATURAL LEAN GROUND BEEF”

See Details ›

Do you wash ground beef? ›

Rinsing raw ground beef could pose a health risk by splashing bacteria-filled juices all over your kitchen's surfaces. After the beef has been cooked, you're just rinsing away good flavor. If you want to get rid of some of the grease, drain the beef, but don't rinse it. It's just not necessary.

Do you put anything in the pan before ground beef? ›

Choose the right pan

If you're working with a nonstick pan, you may not need to add any additional oil. The natural fat from the ground beef will help the meat brown and prevent it from sticking. If you prefer, you can add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan before adding the beef.

Discover More Details ›

Should you add baking soda to ground beef? ›

Baking soda works its magic on meat mainly on the surface, so it works well with ground beef, but it will work just as well on other ground or thinly sliced meats both working to tenderize them and encourage browning. Try it on thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs, pork, or steak.

What is the trick to cooking ground beef? ›

Break Up the Ground Beef While Cooking: Then start breaking it into smaller pieces with the wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring and breaking up the beef into small crumbles, until any moisture from the beef has evaporated and the beef is evenly browned and no longer pink.

Tell Me More ›

How to add cheese to pasta without clumping? ›

Hot liquids, like pasta water, heavy cream, melted butter, or beaten eggs, help distribute melted cheese evenly by surrounding it with heat.

Know More ›

How to melt mozzarella on top of pasta? ›

Generously sprinkle the mozzarella over the top of the spaghetti and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and melted. Garnish with chopped basil (optional).

Read On ›

Can I just add cheese to pasta? ›

With thicker, well-emulsified sauces, it's generally safe to add the cheese directly over the heat, but with a thinner sauce or one that doesn't have much besides the cheese, adding cheese while it's still on the burner can cause it to clump.

See Details ›

Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet - The Midnight Baker - Easy Recipe (2024)

Quick And Inexpensive

Leftovers? Don’t Toss It

Garlic

The Recipe