This hearty, one-pot Ground Beef Pasta Skillet is packed with beef, vegetables, pasta and cheese. It’s ready in 30 minutes and sure to please the entire family.
Looking for more ground beef pasta recipes? You’ll love my Creamy Beef and Shells and Philly Cheesesteak Pasta.
This easy ground beef pasta dish calls for mostly pantry staples, it’s substantial, satisfying, and oh-so easy to make. And, you gotta love those pasta leftovers!
The number of people in this house seems to be constantly fluctuating these days and I’ve got to be ready to go with the flow. Yet it seems that whenever I get used to cooking the big meals again, they are heading back out that revolving door.
Funny thing about life in a big family with grown “kids”. They fly the coop, it feels as if they’ve been gone forever, and then you wake up one day and you’ve got people swarming around your kitchen looking for food.
Most nights you’ll find me in my kitchen tossing a big Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad or searing Blackened Mahi Mahi to serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Sautéed Spinach. But, when I’ve got big guys with big appetites around, this Ground Beef Pasta Skillet is definitely in order.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: Fussili stands up really well to the substantial ingredients in this recipe but penne would also work well.
- Ground beef: Go with 90% to 93% ground beef.
- Vegetables: Diced white or yellow onion, diced zucchini, chopped mushrooms, and minced garlic.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Canned tomato products: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add great flavor. You’ll also need a small can of tomato sauce.
- Beef broth: I keep my refrigerator stocked with Better than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Beef Base so I can make exactly the amount of broth I need for my recipes.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Fresh herbs: A little fresh basil does a lot to add a fresh herby burst of flavor.
How to Make Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet and sauté the onion, zucchini, and garlic then add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break it up, until cooked through. Drain off as much grease from the pan as possible and return to the heat add the dry seasonings.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, mushrooms, and dry, uncooked pasta to the pan.
- Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, then stir in the basil.
- Sprinkle the cheeses over the top, cover the skillet, and cook just until the cheese melts. If you’d like to brown the top, instead of covering the skillet, set it in an oven set to broil for a minute or two.
Big Batch Pasta Tip
This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a Dutch oven when you’re feeding a crowd.
Serving Suggestions
Toss a Simple Italian Salad or make a batch of Sautéed Green Beans to round out your meal. The Cheater Garlic Bread pictured in this post is absolutely perfect for serving with this pasta. I can personally guarantee that this meal will provide comfort and satisfy the seemingly insatiable appetite of a college aged male.
Browse my entire collection of salad recipes and side dish recipes for more ideas!
Storage Tips
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, use freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw frozen pasta in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. This pasta reheats beautifully in the microwave.
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Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound 90% to 93% lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 2½ cups dry pasta, like fusilli or penne (about 8 ounces)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the onion, zucchini, and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes, or until the onion is slightly softened and the zucchini is fork tender. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break it up, until fully cooked.
- Drain off as much grease from the pan as possible and return it to the heat. Sprinkle the beef with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, mushrooms, and dry pasta to the pan. Stir to combine and bring it to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to LOW and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Stir in the basil and sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover and cook just until the cheese is melted. Alternately, you can set your oven to BROIL and place the skillet in the oven for a minute or two, until the cheese has melted.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
This post was originally published September 10, 2016. It has been updated with new text and images.
Howdy hi there. This looks yummy. But, I’m confused. What do you mean by 4-1 cups dry pasta? Is it 1 cup of pasta? 4 cups of pasta? 1 bag? 1 box?
Sorry forgot to say it’s for 8 servings that it says that.
Hi Chris. I updated the recipe card so that hopefully when you scale it for 8 servings it will be easier to read. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups dry pasta so if you were to double it you would need 5 cups. You’ll need a very large pan. A Dutch oven might work best for that amount.
Thank you!! Sorry I was confused!! lololo Have an awesome week!!
Ohhhh Valerie this looks amazing! I love beefy, cheesy pasta. Hope you had a great time with your family!