Quick & Easy Skillet Pasta

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Quick & Easy Skillet Pasta is ready in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal!

Jeff loves spaghetti and all things pasta and when I made this for him the other night, he couldn't believe it only took 20 minutes! It's amazing how the flavors come together in the sauce and tastes like you spent all day cooking it.

I added just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and a tiny bit of sugar which balanced the quick & easy skillet pasta perfectly!  The crushed red peppers add just a tad of spice (that I happen to love), but you can certainly leave them out if you prefer.

Usually, when I make a tomato based sauce from scratch for spaghetti, lasagna or any pasta dish calling for a red tomato sauce, it takes me all day to simmer the sauce and get the flavors just right...who has time for that? I certainly don't and that's why Jeff hasn't gotten his spaghetti/pasta fix until this recipe was born!

I was blown away at how good this skillet pasta recipe is and the best part: the recipe uses easy to find, simple ingredients; very little prep time; and is ready in under 30 minutes! It's unbelievably good and makes perfect leftovers...if there is any left! Lucky for me, we still have some and that's what I'm having for lunch today...can't wait!

What you need for Quick & Easy Skillet Pasta:

• Olive Oil
• Ground Beef
• Onion (Vidalia or white)
• Salt and Pepper
• Garlic
• Yellow Bell Pepper
• Beef Stock
• Campanelle Pasta ( you can substitute with Penne or Rotini pasta, but I love the shape of Campanelle in this dish)
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Sugar
• Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
• Fresh Basil
• Italian Blend Shredded Cheese

Step One:

Dice your onion and yellow bell pepper. Chiffonade 6-7 basil leaves; simply stack your basil leaves one on top of the other, roll and make thin slices to produce strips of basil. You can also roughly chop the basil if you prefer, but I really like the look of these thin strips in this recipe. Peel and cut garlic cloves into thin slices; you can used minced garlic, but I would cut the amount down to 2 cloves. I use a garlic slicer which makes fast work of thinly slicing garlic. You can learn more about the garlic slicer in 10 Kitchen Gadgets I can't live without.

Step Two:

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 3 quart skillet and heat over medium heat. Add in ground beef, onions, salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat, breaking up the ground beef as it cooks. When ground beef is almost cooked, about 5 minutes, add in garlic and yellow pepper; stir to combine and cook an additional minute.

Step Three:

Add in beef stock, fire roasted tomatoes and Campanelle pasta; turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes.

Step Four:

Reduce heat to low. Add in tomato paste, sugar and crushed red peppers (if using). Stir to combine all ingredients; cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh basil (reserve some for garnish) and 1 cup of Italian blend shredded cheese. Garnish with basil and a bit of shredded cheese...you can never have enough cheese in my opinion! Serve &Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Skillet Pasta

Recipe By: The Salted Pepper

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 18 mins

Total Time 23 mins

Servings 4 -6

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Pound Ground Beef
• 1 Onion Vidalia or white, ¼ inch dice
• 1 & ½ Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper
• 3 Garlic Cloves thinly sliced
• 1 Yellow Pepper ¼ inch dice
• 4 Cups Beef Broth or Beef Stock
• 1 14.5 ounce Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 8 Ounces Campanelle Pasta uncooked
• 1 6 ounce Can Tomato Paste
• ½ Teaspoon Sugar
• ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes optional
• 6-7 Basil Leaves cut into thin strips
• 1 ½ Cups Shredded Italian Blend Cheese divided

Instructions

 

• Chop onion and yellow pepper, chiffonade* basil leaves and thinly slice the garlic
• Add olive oil to 3 quart skillet, heat on medium and add ground beef, onion, salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, breaking up ground beef.
• When ground beef is almost cooked add yellow pepper and garlic; stir to combine and cook an additional minute.
• Add Beef Broth or Beef Stock, Campanelle pasta and fire roasted tomatoes. Stir to combine and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil uncovered for 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Add in tomato paste, sugar and crushed red pepper (if using); stir to combine all ingredients, cover and simmer for 5 minutes
• Add basil (reserving some for garnish) and 1 cup of shredded Italian blend cheese. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve.
• Garnish with fresh basil and remaining ½ cup of cheese.
• Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

*To Chiffonade the basil, simply stack one leaf on top of the other to create a pile, roll tightly and cut thin slices across the rolled basil.

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