One Pot Lasagna Pasta

All the ingredients for this family-pleasing dish, including the pasta, cook in one pot! Recipe includes cooking directions for oven method or skillet-stovetop method. Developed by Oh Sweet Basil and The Beef Checkoff.

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 Ingredients:

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

Cooking Directions:

1. Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Heat oven-proof 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef and zucchini; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into small crumbles and stirring occasionally.
3. 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.
4. Cover and bake in 375°F (190°C) oven 10 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving.
5. Skillet-Stovetop Method: Prepare recipe as directed for Oven Method in step 2 using 12-inch nonstick skillet and adding uncooked pasta with pasta sauce, water and pepper as in step 3. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and cook on stovetop 8 to 11 minutes (13 to 15 minutes for regular bow tie pasta) or until pasta is tender, stirring once.
6. Remove from heat. Swirl ricotta into sauce as directed in step 3. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until mozzarella cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Test Kitchen Tips:

• Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef.
• Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C).
• Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.
• Meatballs can also be served as an appetizer.

Nutritional 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.

Nutritional 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.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.