Beefy Pasta with Tomatoes and Burrata

Close-up shot of a bowl full of Beefy spaghetti pasta with burrata and lemon basil oil.

Beefy Pasta with Tomatoes and Burrata

Make beefy pasta with jarred marinara, tomatoes, creamy burrata, and fresh lemon basil oil for an easy 30-minute dinner.

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Easy Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: beefy pasta with burrata

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Servings:

Author: Celeste

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Basil Oil

1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
salt to taste

Beefy Pasta

1 8 oz. container of burrata cheese
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp tubed refrigerated minced garlic paste (Gourmet Garden) or 2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
1 25 oz. jarred marinara sauce
1 9 oz. package of refrigerated pasta I like to use Buitoni brand
½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
Aleppo pepper flakes or crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Take the burrata out of the refrigerator
Remove the burrata from the refrigerator about 20 to 30 minutes before you plan to serve the pasta. Keep it in its container until you are ready to use it. You want to remove some of the refrigerator chill, not leave the cheese sitting out for a long time.
Make the lemon basil oil
Finely chop the fresh basil. In a small jar or bowl, mix together the basil, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, a small squeeze of lemon juice, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Set it aside while you make the pasta. Giving it a few minutes to sit allows the basil and lemon to flavor the oil.
Brown and season the ground beef
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. When the beef has lost most of its pink but is not quite finished cooking, add the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking until the beef is completely browned and no pink remains.
If there is a lot of grease in the skillet, carefully drain or spoon off the excess. Transfer the beef to a plate, cover and set aside.
Cook the tomatoes and garlic
Add a little olive oil to the same skillet if needed. Add the halved cherry and the minced garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The tomatoes should soften, become juicy, and develop a little color around the edges. The garlic should smell fragrant but should not become dark brown.
Build the beef sauce
Pour the jarred marinara into the skillet and return the browned ground beef to the skillet and stir everything together. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes.
You should see small bubbles around the surface rather than a hard boil. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
Cook the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir right away so the thin strands do not stick together. Packaged refrigerated pasta is more like fresh pasta, so it cooks much faster than dried pasta. Cook according to the package directions, but keep a close the pasta, it should only take 1-2 minutes.
Before draining the pasta, scoop out about ½ cup of the cloudy cooking water. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse it. The starch left on the noodles helps the meat sauce cling to the pasta.
Add the pasta to the beef sauce
Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat so the pasta doesn’t overcook. Use tongs to gently lift and toss the noodles through the sauce. If the pasta looks dry or the sauce feels too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time.
Finish with burrata and lemon basil oil
Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Drain the burrata from its liquid and tear it into pieces over the warm pasta. Drizzle a little lemon basil oil over the burrata and around the pasta.
Finish with fresh basil and Aleppo pepper flakes or crushed red pepper if you like a little heat.
Let the burrata sit against the warm pasta for a minute before eating. The outside will soften while the creamy center begins to mingle with the tomato sauce.

Nutrition

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