Looks Delic
Italian beef skillet is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner recipe that you’ll immediately be thinking about making again once you try it. It’s pasta, ground beef, a creamy tomato sauce and cheese all baked in one dish. Done in just 30 minutes this might be the best one dish dinner recipe to have in your dinner rotation.
This Italian skillet dinner recipe has all the ingredients kids (and adults love.) Italian Beef Skillet was such a hit in my house that both kids asked to take the leftovers to school in their lunchboxes the next day. Leftovers for lunch means we will definitely be making this recipe again soon.
About the Ingredients
Rotini Pasta – any small noddle will work well. I like rotini because the sauce gets trapped in all those little crevices and the noodles get well coated.
Ground beef – one pound
Onion – one sweet onion, diced
Mushrooms – 7 baby Bella mushrooms, diced small
Garlic – 2 teaspoons minced or 2 cloves chopped fresh
Seasonings – Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
Sour cream – 1 cup. This is where the creaminess of the sauce happens. If you want to keep the calorie count down use light or fat free sour cream.
Shredded Mozzarella – 2 cups separated. Most of it will get mixed into the skillet but save about a half a cup to sprinkle on top for melting.
Tomato Soup – one can of Campbells or a similar brand.
Fresh Baby Spinach – 1 cup packed. You could also use a package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry. The fresh spinach will be a little lighter and not cook down as much so it adds freshness to an otherwise heavy dish.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
The protein in Italian Beef Skillet can easily be substituted for ground chicken, turkey or sausage. Just stick to the proportions of meat to pasta to keep every bite delicious. You could also try a protein combination similar to what you would use in meatballs, ground beef, veal and pork to make it a little like a deconstructed meatball parmesan recipe.
The spinach is added here for a little vegetable boost. You can swap out spinach for another leafy green such as chopped kale or alternatively add a green vegetable such as sliced zucchini or broccoli when you’re sautéing the mushrooms and onions.
How to Make Italian Beef Skillet
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta cooks, brown the meat, onions and mushrooms together in the same pan. After the meat is brown and the vegetables are soft, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
While the ground beef and vegetables cook, mix together the sour cream, part of the mozzarella cheese, tomato soup, and seasonings in a mixing bowl.
Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the sour cream mixture and add the cooked pasta. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated. Fold in the fresh spinach at the end. It will begin to wilt from the heat which is exactly what you want. Sprinkle the top of the skillet with the remaining mozzarella and bake it at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
FAQ’s and Recipe Tips
Yes. Follow the recipe as written up through folding in the spinach (you want to do this step while everything is hot so the spinach wilts a little.) Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and let cool to room temperature. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve it simply sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated all the way through.Â
Instead of tomato soup you can use a heaping cup of tomato sauce. Depending on the sauce you use, you may not need as much Italian seasoning mixed in.Â
I saved the leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and sent leftovers to school the next day. I packed the pasta with a small ice pack that thawed throughout the morning as the lunch slowly came to room temperature. The kids raved about how delicious their leftover lunches were and asked for more the next day.
The Recipe for Italian Beef Skillet
The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought and if you actually had any leftovers. Enjoy!
Italian Beef Skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 7 baby Bella mushrooms stems removed and caps chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 10.5 oz tomato soup
- 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. When done strain and set aside.12 oz rotini pasta
- Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven safe skillet. Once hot, add the beef, onion and mushrooms. Sauté until the meat is brown and the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes.1 lb ground beef, 1 sweet onion, 7 baby Bella mushrooms
- While the vegetables and pasta cook, mix the sour cream, 1½ cups of mozzarella, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup sour cream, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 10.5 oz tomato soup, 1/2 tsp pepper
- When the meat is done cooking, add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the skillet from the heat.2 tsp minced garlic
- Stir the tomato sauce mixture and pasta into the skillet. Then fold in the spinach while the pan is still hot.1 cup packed fresh baby spinach
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Notes
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