Quick Pasta with Meat Sauce
Servings
1
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
20
minutesCalories
729
kcalTotal time
40
minutesI love whipping up a dish with “Squiggly pasta,” better known as Fusilli – it’s a nostalgic favorite from my childhood. It’s a quick and easy American twist on the traditional pasta Bolognese, perfect for any season since it only requires fresh onions and bell peppers. Feel free to sprinkle on some cheese to taste.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon of salt
56 g (2 oz) fusilli pasta
1 tablespoon of olive oil
⅓ cup of diced medium white or yellow onion
⅓ cup of diced medium green, red, or yellow bell pepper
112 g (4 oz) of 85% lean ground beef
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper, to taste
28 g (1 oz) of grated Parmesan, optional
Directions
- Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Follow the package instructions for al dente pasta, usually about 9 minutes for fusilli. Then, remove the pot from the heat.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, break up the ground beef, then transfer it to the skillet. Continue to cook for 3 more minutes, ensuring the beef is well-browned and stirred often.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Mix in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, blending well for 2 minutes.
- Pour in ½ cup of milk and mix for 1 minute until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it directly into the skillet, stirring for a minute to combine with the sauce.
- Serve the pasta hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
