Best Beef And Blue Cheese Penne With Pesto Recipes

HEARTY PENNE BEEF

Hearty Penne Beef image

This hearty penne beef recipe is comfort food at its finest! The best of everything is found here-it's tasty, easy and a wonderful way to sneak in some spinach for extra nutrition. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Steps:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in tomato puree, broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. , Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. , Drain pasta; stir into beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pasta mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add broth or water if necessary.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 482 calories, Fat 20g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 88mg cholesterol, Sodium 1001mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 41g protein.

PENNE WITH PESTO

Penne with Pesto image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 large bunch fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne rigate or other ridged small tube pasta

Steps:

Meanwhile, pluck the basil leaves from the stems (you should have about 2 cups leaves). Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Smash and peel the garlic.
Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with the salt and some pepper.
Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and save about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl. Use tongs and toss with enough of the cooking water so the pesto coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Upgrades: a. Make the pesto creamy by adding 1/4 cup ricotta cheese when processing the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. This is great with tortellini or ravioli. b. Top dressed pesto pasta with 1/2 pound diced large or halved small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 3 medium tomatoes cut in large chunks, and 1/2 cup pitted black olives, (we like kalamata for this), roughly chopped. c. Add cooked 1 to 2 cups chicken or shrimp.
Twists on Pesto: In place of basil, try the following combination: 1 cup parsley, 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Substitute walnuts for the pine nuts