Southwest Skillet Ragu

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet or dutch oven that will be deep enough to hold everything. add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (about 8 minutes). remove the ground beef to a plate. pour off any extra grease, leaving behind just enough to film the bottom of the pan.
• 2 while the beef is cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil. salt the water, and cook the pasta until it's barely al dente and still a little chewy. drain the pasta and set it aside.
• 3 cook the onions until they are soft, translucent, and beginning to brown (about 5 minutes). add the mushrooms, and cook until they have released all their liquid and turned golden brown (about 5 minutes). add the peppers, spices, and salt, and continue to saute until veggies are mostly cooked (about 3 minutes).
• 4 pour tomatoes with their juices into the pan and bring to a boil. add the hamburger back into the pan, and simmer until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
• 5 stir in the cheese and the pasta, and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. spoon into individual bowls, top with an extra sprinkle of cheese, and serve!