Tomato Basil Hamburger Pasta Stew
Throw it all in the pot, including the uncooked pasta, and cook! Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta.
Throw it all in the pot, including the uncooked pasta, and cook! Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta.
- Carbohydrate 26.9691876295637 g
- Cholesterol 71.3849881318625 mg
- Fat 14.1095215469053 g
- Fiber 0.908287524074316 g
- Protein 15.3072508818549 g
- Saturated Fat 4.75623869894997 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (163g)
- Sodium 53.9346984316109 mg
- Sugar 26.0609001054893 g
- Trans Fat 2.13804466080325 g
- Calories 298 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown hamburger. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot with hamburger. Pour in broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .
- Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
The One-Pot Starch Trap
Many cooks drain cooked pasta because they fear gummy textures, yet boiling dried noodles directly in broth releases enough amylose to emulsify the remaining liquid into a cohesive sauce without separate roux preparation. Using a wide-bottomed twelve-inch straight-sided skillet instead of a deep stockpot ensures even evaporation across all starch granules rather than trapping excess steam. Stirring every 120 seconds prevents the bottom layer of semolina from scorching against direct heat zones.
Adapting for Dietary Needs
Replacing the dairy-free requirements in this dish involves simple swaps that maintain the structural integrity of the sauce without relying on traditional Parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast offers a direct umami replacement at a one-to-one ratio by volume, while gluten-free chickpea pasta requires reducing the initial simmering duration by precisely three minutes to prevent textural disintegration. Each modification relies on monitoring the viscosity of the remaining liquid rather than following strict clock times alone.
Judging Doneness Visually
Determining when the noodles are ready requires observing the pan surface rather than piercing a piece with a fork or using a thermometer. When the liquid level drops to approximately one inch from the bottom and the bubbling shifts from watery splashes to thick, glossy pops, the starches have reached maximum absorption. Pulling the vessel off the burner immediately at this exact visual cue stops residual carryover heat from turning the noodles past al dente.
