Description
Hearty cheesy beef pasta skillet combines ground beef and melted cheese in one satisfying pan. Pasta lovers will savor this quick, comforting meal you can whip up in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 oz (227 g) pasta of choice (e.g., farfalle)
- 4 oz (113 g) Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth
- 1 (8 oz / 227 g) can tomato sauce
- 0.5 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 cup (75 g) diced onion
- 0.5 cup (75 g) diced bell pepper
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp basil
- 0.25 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sear ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly browned, carefully draining excess fat while preserving essential drippings.
- Vegetable Infusion: Incorporate diced onions, bell peppers, and garlic into the skillet, sautéing until vegetables become translucent and aromatics release their fragrant essence.
- Sauce Foundation: Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture, stirring consistently to create a smooth roux that will serve as the sauce’s thickening agent.
- Liquid Integration: Stream beef broth into the skillet, whisking methodically to prevent lumps and achieve a seamless liquid base, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Flavor Enhancement: Blend tomato sauce with oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, ensuring comprehensive flavor distribution throughout the sauce.
- Pasta Immersion: Submerge pasta completely in the liquid, covering the skillet and simmering for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to guarantee uniform cooking and prevent adherence to the pan.
- Cheese Transformation: Reduce heat and fold in heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and Velveeta, stirring until the cheeses melt into a luxurious, velvety sauce that coats every ingredient.
- Final Assembly: Reintroduce browned ground beef to the skillet, gently combining all components and warming for an additional 2 minutes before serving this sumptuous one-pan delicacy while steaming hot.
Notes
- Drain Excess Fat: Remove most beef fat to prevent greasy texture and reduce unnecessary calories while maintaining rich flavor.
- Prevent Sauce Clumping: Whisk broth gradually and consistently to create smooth, lump-free sauce with perfect consistency.
- Pasta Cooking Tip: Ensure pasta is completely submerged in liquid for even cooking and optimal moisture absorption.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Reduce heat when adding cream and cheese to prevent separation and achieve silky, creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 487
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg