You can make this dish as a top of the stove skillet meal in about thirty minutes or prepare the dish as a casserole or "bake," refrigerate it, and cook it later in your air fryer. Either way, the dish is good! It has all the flavors of a classic cheeseburger--ground beef, onion, tomatoes, mustard, and lots of cheese. It also includes pasta. Nonetheless, dish is considerably "lighter" than most cheeseburgers, leaves out a lot of the sugar that would be included with the addition of many condiments (like ketchup), and substitutes whole-grain pasta for regular pasta or white bread. In moderation, the dish is great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." When we're in a hurry, I make the dish and serve it straight from the the skillet on the stove. Sometimes, though, it's nice to make the dish ahead as a casserole or "bake," pop it in the refrigerator, and cook it later in the air fryer (you can also bake it in the regular oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes). Leftovers are great reheated in the microwave and make nice dinners or lunches later in the week. Enjoy!
Serve the Pasta as a Skillet Meal or a Casserole/Bake
Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet or Casserole/Bake (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4+
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
2-4 tablespoons of chopped celery
8-10 ounces of lean ground beef (93 percent)
10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried dill
1-2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of reduced sodium beef base (I use "Better Than Bullion")
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 1/2 cups of whole-grain penne, macaroni, or similar-sized pasta
1/2 cup of light sour cream
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Chopped green onions, optional
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the onions and celery. Crumble in the ground beef and saute the beef and vegetables for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are mostly softened and the beef has cooked through. Add the tomatoes, mustard, tomato paste, salt, pepper, dill, and Worcestershire sauce and stir them into the beef and vegetables for a minute or two. Stir in the water, beef base, and garlic powder and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the pasta, reduce the heat to medium low, and partially cover the pan. Let the mixture cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring it periodically, until the pasta has softened and absorbed about two-thirds of the water. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream and half a cup of the cheese.
To Serve From the Skillet: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the mixture and let it melt a little before serving the meal. If you recover the pan for a minute or two the cheese will melt faster. The pasta also will absorb more of the liquid in the pan as it sits.
To Make a Casserole/Bake: Spritz an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray (I use a foil liner in an 8-inch pan for easy cleanup). Scrape the mixture into the pan, smooth it out, and, if you want to cook it later, refrigerate it. When you're ready to cook, air fry the mixture at 320 degrees for about 25 minutes (give it an extra few minutes if the mixture is cold from the refrigerator). Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the casserole and air fry the casserole for another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly. Sprinkle on some chopped green onions to serve the bake, if you'd like.
Comments