Easy Weeknight Cheesy Beef Pasta

by Leena Kollar July 25, 2016

by Leena Kollar 416 views

I admit, sometimes I’m really lazy. Especially when it comes to cooking. It isn’t that I don’t want to take the time to make nice meals, but often I just don’t have the time. If your kids are anything like mine, they are not very patient when it comes to waiting for food. My daughter, who can’t yet speak, will pull on my legs and screech her dragon-like screech that I’m sure the neighbors can hear. My 3 year old will proclaim over and over how he wants something else to eat. Ok kids, I’m working on it, sheesh!

That’s when dinner that is just “thrown together” comes in handy. When you need a fast and easy meal for weeknights, this is one of my go-to favorites. I’m sure there are variations of it out there, but this is my version.

All you need to make this meal are four ingredients:

ground beef
pasta
shredded cheese
Italian seasoning

The amount you’ll need for each depends on how many people you’re cooking for and what your personal preferences are. That’s what’s great about this recipe- you really can’t mess it up because you use the amount of ingredients that work for you!

Step 1

Brown the ground beef and “crumble” it as needed. Sprinkle a good amount of Italian seasoning over it before it browns completely. Drain.

Step 2

While the beef is browning, boil the pasta. You can use any type of pasta that you want. I prefer the tri-colored rotini. My little one loves that the noodles are colorful, and they are easy to eat. Once the pasta has been cooked to your desired texture, drain.

Step 3

Pour the pasta into the pan with the ground beef and mix. Keep the heat on the stove on low and sprinkle in the shredded cheese of your choice. You really can’t go wrong with which type of cheese you choose, but I generally prefer cheddar or mozzarella.

Step 4

As the cheese melts, gently stir it into the beef and pasta. You may need to add a dash more as you stir. When it looks cheesy enough, turn off the heat and let it cool.

Voila! That’s all it takes! Now you have a yummy, cheesy beef pasta with color, flavor and a touch of your sanity back. My kids devour this (maybe because they’re so hungry, I don’t know), and the clean up is pretty easy too!

Bio
Facebook
Latest Posts
Pinterest

Leena Kollar

Contributing Writer at Life As Mama

I'm a wife, mother and everything else associated with domestic life. I can often be found hiding from my kids to sneak treats (especially ice cream). I love rainbows and naps, and I find any excuse to go to Target. When I actually make it out of the house in real clothes, I document my outfits on my fashion blog, Leather & Lip Gloss. My love for fashion also inspired me to start my own comprehensive style website, The Style Spectrum.