Nice to have but not necessary- a garlic press (if not, mince the garlic with a knife)
- measuring cups and spoons (if not, just estimate)
The recipe
2 cups/500 mL whole wheat rotini
1/2 cup/125 mL shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb/500 g lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup/250 mL sliced mushrooms
1 sweet red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup/125 mL crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup/60 mL chopped, pitted black olives
2 Tbsp/30 mL basil pesto
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, grate the mozzarella cheese.
The pasta is still cooking!
Put the ground beef, onion, mushrooms, pepper and garlic into a non-stick pot and cook over medium heat until meat is cooked thoroughly and any liquid has evaporated.
Turn heat to low.
Stir in tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, olives, pesto and cooked pasta.
Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Substitutions
- Use penne or another chunky pasta in place of the rotini.
- Use any type of pasta instead of whole wheat pasta.
- Use canned mushrooms instead of fresh.
- Use a green pepper instead of a red pepper.
- Use fresh tomatoes and chop them yourself. You'll need about 1 1/2 cups/375 mL.
Ideas for making this recipe your own
- Experiment with different cheese. How about Monteray Jack instead of mozzarella? (I wouldn't do without the feta, though. It's an essential part of this recipe!)
- Go to the deli and get an assortment of olives to slice and use instead of canned black olives. Be sure to remove the pits!
- Make your own basil pesto!
Tips
- If you have a food processor, grate a whole block of mozzarella cheese. Package it in 1/2 cup/125 mL portions and freeze them. Take out a package to thaw when needed.
- I highly recommend using a cast iron pot. Cast iron is the best non-stick cookware!
Menu suggestion
Serve this dish with
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