Tomatoes and basil give this easy beef pasta a delicious flavor. It is the perfect 20 minute meal you can enjoy any day of the week.
The answer is yes.
What? You weren’t going to ask if I was officially obsessed with making pasta dinners?
Well, I will just admit it now before you start wondering. I am officially and totally in love with creating new pasta dinners.
The idea for this pasta came from a magazine I was reading at my son’s orthodontist appointment. Now here’s the problem. I have absolutely no idea what magazine it was. All I remember is there was a dinner with pan roasted tomatoes and basil.
And the dr.’s office is an hour away, so I can’t just pop in one day to see if that magazine is still sitting there. Even if I could…I don’t remember what the front cover looked like. So, let’s just pretend I came up with this entire meal by myself 🙂
Ok, fine. Let’s just talk about something I do remember. And that is just how good this pasta was.
This “sauce” for this dish comes from sautéing the tomatoes and basil in olive oil. Then toss it with already cooked pasta and cooked beef fajita meat. You can buy the meat at Sam’s Club, but any pre cooked beef fajita mix from any store would work. Sprinkle the warm pasta with some shredded parmesan cheese before serving.
A dinner that is easy, delicious, and ready in 20 minutes. Perfect for those busy (or lazy) days of summer
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Tomatoes and basil sauted in olive oil creates a delicious and light dressing for pasta and beef. This dinner can be ready in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups frozen, precooked beef fajitas meat (I buy a 24 ounce bag from Sam's Club)
- 12 ounces pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 ounces fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper
- shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Saute the meat in 1 Tablespoon oil over low-medium heat until heated all the way through. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the al dente package directions. Drain and toss with 4 Tablespoons olive oil. Cover and set aside.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon oil up. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the chopped basil and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Stir the meat and tomatoes into the pasta. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Serve with shredded parmesan cheese. Makes 6-8 servings.
More pasta recipes that get rave reviews in our house:
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake
LuAnn Braley says
Sometimes I wonder why we planted 48 tomato plants in our garden this year. Then I come here and find your lovely recipe, and it makes more sense! Thanks, Jocelyn! :O)
DessertForTwo says
Bring on summer! I love this dinner idea!
Chelsea @ Gal on a Mission says
This looks absolutely delicious, Jocelyn! Love the simplicity of it – yummy! I also love your plate, just adorable. Have a great Wednesday. 🙂
marcie says
What a great use of tomatoes! I love light pasta dinners, and this would be perfect for a summer evening. The sauce sounds simply perfect!
Karly says
Looks like dinner to me! 🙂
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
I just finished my lunch and you’ve managed to make me hungry all over again! AAH Jocelyn you are an evil pasta-making genius! 😀
Kelly says
Yay, I know what I’m making for dinner now! This pasta looks fabulous – pinning 🙂
Amy | Club Narwhal says
Jocelyn, I am also totally obsessed with pasta and this dish sound amazing! I love how the sauce comes together (and that inspiration struck in the orthodontist’s office :).
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
You had me at “20 minute meal”. Looks delish!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Loving this 20 minute meal! So perfect for a week night. And my husband will love this too, so even better! Pinned!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Holy cow I want this pasta for dinner!!
Chloe @ foodlikecake says
Yum!
Niki says
This is the perfect recipe for us to use the basil plant my daughter planted a few weeks. I can proudly say I’ve kept it alive 🙂 Super simple, with items my family likes and my daughter will love that her basil is part of the recipe.
Chels R. says
Sign me up! This looks fantastic! An hour drive away-that’s far for an orthodontic appointment. It’s a good thing those appointments are usually a month apart. But that’s me assuming he has braces. 🙂
kristy @ the wicked noodle says
Looks delicious! Love that it’s so quick and easy to throw together!
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says
When it comes to dinner, I have the “summer laziness” all year round, so quick and easy dinners like this sound perfect! Minimal effort, minimal dishes, and maximum flavor… I could get used to that. 😉 Hope you and your family are having an amazing time in Florida!! (And no tornados or rain storms this time around!)
Wendy says
Oh, I remember the years and years of orthodontic appointments. My two kids are five years apart. When the first was getting her braces off, the second was getting his braces on. It felt like I had moved in to the orthodontist’s office! But I did get to read a whole lot of magazines! 🙂 Too bad I wasn’t blogging back then. It could have been considered research time.
Your research paid off with inspiration for a quick and delicious pasta dinner! Fresh basil and tomatoes is one of my favorite parts of summer. 🙂
Nancy [email protected] says
Isn’t pasta just the best thing to make for dinner? It is so versatile and feeds the whole family!
Webbyrå says
This looks delicious!!! I’ll definitely make this recipe some time next week. 😀