One Pot Lasagna Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (93% lean or leaner)
1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) garden-style pasta sauce
2 cups water
6 ounces uncooked mini bow tie (farfalle) pasta (about 2 1/8 cups)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Thinly sliced or chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat ovenproof 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until hot.
Add Ground Beef and zucchini; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into small crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Stir in pasta sauce, water and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Stir in pasta. Spoon heaping teaspoons ricotta cheese over top of sauce. Slightly swirl ricotta into sauce, not mixing in completely.
Cover and bake in 375 degrees F oven for 10 minutes.
Uncover. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Total Recipe Time: 45 to 50 minutes | Makes 4 to 6 servings

Skillet-Stovetop Method: Prepare recipe as directed above using 12-inch nonstick skillet and adding uncooked pasta with pasta sauce, water and pepper in step 4. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and cook on stovetop for 8 to 11 minutes (13 to 15 minutes for regular bow tie pasta) or until pasta is tender, stirring once. Remove from heat. Swirl ricotta into sauce as directed in step 4. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until mozzarella cheese is melted.

Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed Ground Beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

Six ounces uncooked regular bow tie (farfalle) pasta (about 2-1/3 cups) may be substituted. Increase uncovered baking time to 10 to 13 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving, 1/6 of recipe: 372 calories; 12 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat); 74 mg cholesterol; 813 mg sodium; 38 g carbohydrate; 4.0 g fiber; 32 g protein; 5.7 mg niacin; 0.3 mg vitamin B6; 1.5 mcg vitamin B12; 4.2 mg iron; 12.1 mcg selenium; 4.4 mg zinc; 55.4 mg choline

Nutrition information per serving, 1/4 of recipe: 558 calories; 19 g fat (9 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 111 mg cholesterol; 1219 mg sodium; 57 g carbohydrate; 6.0 g fiber; 47 g protein; 8.6 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 6.2 mg iron; 18.1 mcg selenium; 6.6 mg zinc; 83.1 mg choline.

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.

Recipe developed by Oh Sweet Basil and The Beef Checkoff.

Recipe and photo credit: Cattlemen's Beef Board.