EASY Beefaroni!

Easy weeknight Beefaroni, the perfect weeknight meal for the family especially when you have to have dinner on the table quickly on a busy day. Made with simple ingredients like ground beef, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and a bit of pasta water to make it taste anything but simple! My mom used to make this for our family at least once a week back in the day. I remembered how much my sister and I loved Beefaroni night and I wanted to share with you! It’s very affordable, easy to prepare, and is done in the most 30 minutes!

Easy Beefaroni is equally delicious and might I say a bit more fun with ditalini pasta! It’s a meal that even the youngest in your family won’t deny!

Melissa Jo

EASY Beefaroni Recipe

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An Italian meat sauce made with ground beef, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning to make the perfect easy weeknight pasta dinner.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs. of ground beef I use ground chuck
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 5-7 cloves of garlic minced
• 1-2 tbsp. of Italian seasoning blend.
• Cracked black pepper and salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper
• 1 can of all purpose crushed tomatoes 28 oz.
• about 1 cup of pasta water
• a handful of fresh basil
• about 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano grated Cheese
• 1 lb. of Rigatoni I use number 27 size

Method

 

1. Add ground beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and salt & pepper to a skillet with high sides. Cook on medium heat until the meat is almost cooked through and the onions and translucent.
2. In the meantime, boil the rigatoni according to the directions on the back of the box to achieve al dente pasta.
3. Add the can of crushed tomatoes to the sauce once the ground beef is almost cooked all the way through.
4. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil; then lower to a medium low heat and simmer on the stove until the pasta is nearly finished cooking
5. Add a ladle full of pasta water (about 1 cup) to the sauce once the pasta is nearly finished cooking and let the sauce simmer until creamy. (about 3-5 minutes)
6. Once you achieve the desired consistency add fresh basil and Pecorino Romano to the sauce and mix and simmer another couple minutes.
7. Add the pasta directly to the pan and sim together.
8. Serve it all up and enjoy!

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Notes

• Pasta Water! About a cup of pasta water takes this dish from easy to dreamy! When your pasta is nearly finished boiling, grab a ladleful or so and add to the sauce until you get a creamy consistency. Allow the sauce to simmer at least 5 minutes with the pasta water on low.
• My favorite pan to cook with because it’s got high sides AND it goes stovetop to oven. I call him my old faithful: https://amzn.to/3UssB0e
• I use Pecorino Romano cheese for nearly all of my Italian dishes, but parmesan will work as well.
• Serve this dish up with a simple garden salad family style with Italian dressing and fresh bread.
• An Italian Seasoning blend makes life easier and more delicious:https://amzn.to/3UsORqP
  

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