Description
This One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta is a hearty, flavorful dish packed with ground beef, a medley of shredded vegetables, and Cajun spices, all simmered together with elbow pasta in a rich tomato and bean sauce. It’s an easy weeknight meal that combines the bold taste of Cajun seasoning with nutritious veggies and gooey melted cheese, all cooked in one pot for minimal cleanup.
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 tomatoes
- 400g (14 oz) kidney beans, drained (or other beans of choice, can omit)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth (can substitute beef stock)
- 2 cups water
- 350g (12 oz, approx. 3 cups) elbow pasta (macaroni), or similar small pasta shapes like spirals, penne, ziti, small shells, rigatoni
- 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 faint heat)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Place a large heavy-based pot with a lid over high heat and add the olive oil to warm up.
- Cook the vegetables and beef: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook thoroughly, breaking it up as you go, until no red meat remains. Then add the shredded carrot and zucchini and cook for 2 minutes to evaporate the moisture they release. Finally, add the chopped red capsicum and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add spices and tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste along with all the Cajun spices and cook everything together for 1 minute to release their aromas and flavors.
- Make the pasta sauce: Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, water (use the empty cans to swill in any residue), chicken stock, and drained kidney beans. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the pasta: Stir in the uncooked pasta, mix to combine, and allow the pot to return to a simmer. Once simmering, cover with the lid and reduce heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook the pasta: Let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking or burning at the bottom. The pasta should be a bit firm in the center and the sauce still slightly soupy—this is ideal because the pasta will continue to absorb liquid in the next step.
- Melt the cheese: Stir the pasta and sauce smooth, then sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Replace the lid and turn off the stove, leaving the pot on the burner. Let it sit for 3 minutes to allow the residual heat to melt the cheese and finish cooking the pasta.
- Serve: Remove from heat. If desired, sprinkle the finely sliced green onion stem on top for garnish. Serve immediately while the dish is saucy and the cheese is gooey.
Notes
- Protein choice: This recipe works best with beef; chicken or turkey may turn dry unless spices are increased. Pork can be used similarly. Lamb with Cajun spices and pasta may taste unusual but can be tried. A reader had delicious results with kangaroo mince!
- Vegetables substitutions: Feel free to swap the carrot, zucchini, and capsicum with other vegetables, chopped to appropriate sizes. Baby spinach stirred in just before adding cheese works well. Shredding the carrot and zucchini helps them dissolve into the sauce for texture and flavor.
- Pasta quantity: The 3 cups measure (350g) is specific to elbow pasta/macaronis; other pasta shapes will differ in volume, so weigh accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/7 of recipe)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
