Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Paleo Option, Low Calorie
This complete, low calorie meal is vegetable and protein loaded. Herby Italian seasoning combines with juices from burst tomatoes creating a healthy, savory comfort dish. Plus, this easy ground beef skillet meal is ready in only 20 minutes!
Why I Love This Recipe
Quick Italian Pasta Skillet is loaded with acidic tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, and hearty ground beef. I always use chickpea pasta as it's chock-full of protein and fiber. Because it's mild flavor profile and the bigger dices of veggies that can be easily removed if you've got a picky eater, this is a great kid-friendly dish!
To be fair, my 5 year old is literally one of the pickiest eaters and is still working on feeding therapy. Although he will only eat the noodles from this meal, he doesn't mind the seasoning blend that's on them. Which is progress, amiright??!! My 6 year old picks out the tomatoes and happily eats the rest.
Also, it's fast to make and perfect for weeknight dinners. Quick Italian Pasta Skillet is made with ingredients that are commonly on hand: pasta, ground beef, bell peppers, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Ingredient convenience on a hot summer day during the pandemic is how this recipe came about!
Although this meal is technically complete, I like to serve it with a simple side salad and a gluten free roll or gluten free Texas toast. Additionally, this recipe reheats really well and makes great leftovers!
Cooking Tips
Gluten free pasta is notoriously sticky from all the starch that’s released into the water.
To prevent it from becoming sticky mush: drain it then cover with fresh water and re-drain 3 times to remove as much starch as possible. Then, drizzle about 1.5 tablespoon of oil on it and stir.
For a paleo version of this meal, use cassava flour pasta.
In order to de-seed zucchini, quarter it long wise. Drag a sharp knife down to remove the seeded area. Although the seeded portion is not very large, it releases a lot of liquid and can become mushy. I personally think the seeds taste great but the texture can be off putting.
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📖 Recipe
Quick Italian Pasta Skillet {Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo Option}
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 Large deep skillet
- 1 Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- avocado oil spray* or your favorite
- 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
- 1 med onion small diced
- several pinches salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon parsley
- ¾ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium orange bell pepper** ½" dice
- 1 small zucchini de-seeded and ½" diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 8oz pkg gluten free tubular or shaped noodles***
Instructions
- Fill a medium pot about ⅔ with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to the lowest cook time per box instructions.****
- Spray a large deep skillet thoroughly with cooking spray. Heat over MEDIUM temperature until skillet is warm. Add ground beef, breaking up with spoon and cooking until mostly browned 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet containing rendered ground beef fat, add diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook stirred often until softened, about 3-5 minutes. If the skillet begins to dry out add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Add minced garlic, salt, dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, black pepper and sauté stirring constantly until aromatic. About 30 seconds.
- Add diced bell pepper, diced zucchini, and tomatoes. Sauté stirring often until vegetables soften and tomatoes burst. About 5-7 minutes.
- Return ground beef and accumulated juices back to skillet. Stir until well combined.
- Turn off heat, leave on burner. Add cooked pasta and mix until well combined. Serve warm.
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