Pesto Beef and Noodles
Tender ground beef, simmered with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs, then jazzed up with a touch of cream and plenty of cheese! Served over noodles (or rice, or in lettuce leaves), this comforting dish is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Healthy too!
This dish is surprisingly light! Yes, there’s a hint of cream and a respectable amount of cheese, but thanks to the tomatoes and other veggies, it’s actually quite light. I served the beef mixture over yolk-free egg noodles to keep it light, but you could also serve the beef in lettuce leaves, or over rice or your favorite grain.
This amazing meal is made with pantry staples! Grab a few things from your pantry and spice rack and this dish is ready in a flash. You need Italian seasoning and dried basil from the spice rack (Italian seasoning contains basil, but I wanted to ramp up that essence here), and diced tomatoes from the pantry.
I used fire-roasted tomatoes but you can use any canned tomato variety. I love the smoky quality of fire-roasted tomatoes, but you can use regular diced tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato puree. You can also use canned tomatoes with other ingredients, such as bell peppers and herbs.
You can also make this dish with ground chicken and turkey! If you’re in a poultry mood, swap in your favorite chicken or turkey for the beef!
Pesto Beef and Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta of choice, I used yolk-free egg noodles
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 15- ounce can diced tomatoes, regular or fire-roasted
- 1/4 cup half & half or cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Fresh basil for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until soft.
- Add the Italian seasoning, dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the half & half and parmesan cheese cook for 1 minute to heat through.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Top the beef mixture with the mozzarella cheese and remove the pan from the heat. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese melts (you can also place the pan under the broiler if it’s oven-proof).
- Transfer the noodles to individual plates or shallow bowls and top with the beef mixture. Top with red pepper flakes and fresh basil if desired.