INGRIDENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
8 ounces mushrooms finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor.
½ cup diced onion
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces whole-wheat rotini or fusilli
½ cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup Chopped fresh basil for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by cooking lean ground beef, with finely chopped mushrooms and diced onion in a large skillet with a little bit of oil. Large skillets are perfect for recipes like this, as they have the capacity to cook the ingredients without overcrowding the pan. When using 90% lean ground beef, there is very little fat which means that you don't need to drain it before moving on to the next step.
Next add tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder and cook them in the flavors of the beef and mushrooms. Now it's time to boil the pasta. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat. Make sure to use a tight-fitted lid to ensure the moisture and heat stays within the skillet to cook the pasta through. Cook until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Lastly sprinkle the pasta with shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese and cover it until the cheese is melted, then garnish with chopped fresh basil to finish the dish. This is an excellent combination of flavors, but feel free to experiment! Shredded mozzarella cheese, provolone or asiago would be great substitutes for the Cheddar cheese.