Easy Pesto Beef
This wholesome, one-pan meal features tender ground beef, a creamy, tomato-based sauce, and a canopy of stretchy cheese. The savory sauce is spiked with pesto and herbs, so it boasts the bold flavors of basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Easy, nutritious, and ready in under 30 minutes.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Laura’s Lean. All opinions are 100% mine.
This nourishing meal is made with better-for-you ingredients. How? First and foremost, I used Laura’s Lean beef, the #1 selling natural beef brand in the U.S. What makes Laura’s Lean so popular? For starters, it’s a better “natural” product because Laura’s Lean ground beef doesn’t just meet the USDA definition of “natural” (minimally processed and contains no artificial ingredients), it exceeds the classification because the beef comes from cattle who were raised with no added hormones or antibiotics and fed a vegetarian diet (the way nature intended).
I chose Laura’s Lean ground beef in this dish for a reason. Laura’s Lean ground beef is an excellent source of high-quality, low-fat protein. In fact, Laura’s Lean 96% Lean/4% Fat has been Heart-Check certified by the American Heart Association! It doesn’t matter if you choose Laura’s Lean 96% Lean/4% Fat, or Laura’s Lean 92% Lean/8% fat, both products are lower in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than most other beef products. This is a dish you can feel good about serving to your family and friends.
Did you know lean beef cooks more quickly? Yep, it’s true. It cooks in about one third less time than higher fat beef! Great for a busy weeknight!
Cooking with lean beef is perfect for one pot meals like this one. Why? Because there’s less grease, so you don’t have the drain the pan after browning the meat!
Let’s talk about the basil pesto. What kind of pesto should you use? You can choose any brand/variety you want here. That means it can be the refrigerated pesto (sold near the ravioli and tortellini) or the shelf-stable pesto. You only need 3 tablespoons for this dish, so reserve the remaining pesto for future meals (it makes a great addition to a variety of Italian sauces, dressings, vinaigrettes, and sandwich spreads).
How should you serve your Easy Pesto Beef? I served the saucy beef over linguine, but you could easily serve the mixture over rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite grain. For a gluten-free, low-carb meal, serve the mixture in lettuce leaves.
Easy Pesto Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice, I used linguine
- 1 pound Laura’s Lean 92% Lean/8% Fat Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion, any color
- 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
- 1/4 cup half & half
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Fresh basil leaves for serving, torn, chopped or thinly sliced
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 bell pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add the Italian seasoning, 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 crushed tomatoes and pesto and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the half & half and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Top the beef mixture with the mozzarella cheese, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese (if desired, you can also place the pan under the broiler to melt the cheese – as long as your pan is oven-safe).
- Transfer the pasta to individual plates or shallow bowls and top with the beef mixture. Top with red pepper flakes (if using) and fresh basil.