20-Minute Tomato Smash Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta (any shape like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
• 6 tomatoes (whole, with the bottoms cut off)
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 1 lb ground beef (recommend 85/15 or 90/10 lean)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp thyme (dried)
• 1 tsp oregano (dried)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 0.75 cup shredded mozzarella
• 0.75 cup shredded cheddar

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

2. 2

   While the pasta water boils, prepare the tomatoes by cutting off the stem ends (the bottoms).

3. 3

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Place the tomatoes around the outer edges of the pan and add the diced yellow onion into the center. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and the onions are translucent.

4. 4

   Remove the lid. Push the softened onions to the side of the pan and add the ground beef to the center. Cook the beef, breaking it apart with a spatula, until it is fully browned.

5. 5

   Using tongs, carefully peel the skins off the tomatoes (they should slide off easily after steaming). Discard the skins. Use a masher or a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes directly into the pan, mixing them with the beef and onions.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, chopped fresh parsley, paprika, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients into a cohesive sauce.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses over the sauce. Stir constantly until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce becomes creamy.

8. 8

   Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss well to ensure every piece of pasta is fully coated in the cheesy tomato meat sauce.

9. 9

   Serve immediately while hot.

Notes

To reduce the oiliness mentioned in some reviews, you can drain the excess fat from the ground beef after browning it in step 4 before adding the seasonings and cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• pasta
• ground beef
• quick dinner
• weeknight meal
• one-pan
• cheesy