Description
This hearty One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta with lots of veggies is a flavorful and comforting meal that combines tender ground beef, shredded vegetables, beans, and elbow pasta simmered in a fragrant Cajun-spiced tomato sauce. Finished with melting colby cheese, it’s an easy, all-in-one dinner perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
One-pot pasta:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 500g (1 lb) beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 medium carrot, shredded (skin on)
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 800g (28 oz) canned crushed tomato
- 400g (14 oz) kidney beans, drained (or other beans, optional)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth (can substitute beef stock)
- 2 cups water
- 350g (12 oz / 3 cups) elbow pasta or similar small pasta shapes, uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups tightly packed Colby cheese or other melting cheese, freshly shredded
- 1 green onion stem, finely sliced (optional garnish)
Cajun spices:
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika (sweet/regular, not smoked or spicy)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for mild heat)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-based pot with a lid over high heat to prepare for sautéing.
- Cook vegetables and beef: Add finely minced garlic and chopped onion to the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, cooking until no longer pink. Stir in shredded carrot and zucchini, cooking for another 2 minutes until most moisture evaporates. Add chopped red capsicum and cook for 2 more minutes to soften.
- Add spices and tomato paste: Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and all the Cajun spices. Cook for 1 minute to release the aromas and deepen flavors.
- Prepare pasta sauce: Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, water (use the tomato cans to swill and add any leftover), chicken stock, and kidney beans. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add pasta and simmer: Stir in the uncooked elbow pasta, letting the pot come back to a simmer. Cover with the lid, reduce heat to medium so the liquid gently simmers but doesn’t boil vigorously.
- Cook pasta: Allow the pasta to cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. The pasta should be slightly firmer than desired and the sauce somewhat soupy at this point, as it will thicken later.
- Melt cheese: Stir the mixture gently to smooth the surface. Sprinkle the shredded Colby cheese evenly on top. Cover with the lid and turn off the stove but keep the pot on the heat, letting residual heat melt the cheese and finish cooking the pasta for 3 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with finely sliced green onion if using, and serve immediately while the dish is saucy and the cheese is delightfully gooey.
Notes
- Protein: This recipe works best with beef for moistness and flavor. Chicken or turkey may turn out dry unless spice amounts are increased. Lamb is an unusual pairing with Cajun spices but could be tried. A reader also reported delicious results using kangaroo.
- Vegetables: Feel free to substitute carrot, zucchini, and capsicum with other vegetables chopped to similar size. Adding a handful of baby spinach before topping with cheese is a great variation. Shredding carrot and zucchini helps them integrate seamlessly.
- Pasta: The 3 cup measurement (350g) is specific for elbow pasta or macaroni. Other pasta shapes’ volume measurements may vary, so weigh accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/7th of recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
