This pasta recipe is a one pot wonder, I tell ya! I make a lot of pasta dishes…2-3 times a week…but this one is special. My kids were the most enthusiastic eaters and Brad declared it to be “most special pasta” ever. Whoa! I have no idea what I did right and but I am guessing simple store bought pesto elevated a regular pasta bake to something AMAZING!
And the best thing is this pasta is quick…a true midweek hero! This was cooked after I got home from work so you can understand I had no energy for things fancy yet fancy I got. I love when that happens with no effort at all.
You know what else is great about this pasta dish? It’s delicious and sophisticated enough for a dinner party. Just throw in some nice bread, olives or any antipasti you love and your guests will be endlessly impressed. I am not exaggerating in the least, they will feel like they’ve attended a nice Italian restaurant. Wouldn’t you if you were served a plate of this?
You can make this with any short pasta you like or have on hand but let me tell you why shells are the best: they are cute and bite-sized but the most amazing thing is that they serve as little scoops that hold that delicious meat sauce oh…so…perfectly.
If you are hesitant about combining tomato sauce and pesto I understand. I was too…after all it’s one or another, right? Fortunately I still decided to give it a go and what I realised was that pesto infused the meat sauce with gorgeous basil flavour while the cheese and pine nuts gave it a more creamy and luscious texture. That is why this pasta bake is NOT ordinary!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 lbs ground beef extra-lean
- 2 cups/800 gr/2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup/ 125 ml store-bought pesto
- 1 lbs pasta shells
- 1 1/2 cups/150 gr mozzarella grated
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F/200C.
- Cook chopped onion in olive oil over low heat for 5-7 minutes until soft but not coloured.
- Add ground beef and cook, stirring it the whole until no longer pink.
- Add, salt, chopped basil and canned tomatoes, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes, stir one in a while and break up any large tomato chunks with a wooden spoon.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the shells in a large pot according to package instructions. It's important not to overcook pasta but cook it al dente as it will be further cooked in the oven.
- At the end of cooking time stir pesto into the sauce and take it off the heat.
- Drain pasta and gently toss it with the sauce in the same pot the pasta was cooked in.
- Put half of the pasta in the baking dish and sprinkle with half of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Top it up with the remaining pasta and sprinkle with more mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until cheese is golden and pasta is hot and bubbly.
*The recipe is slightly adapted from Food & Wine magazine cookbook.
Liz says
November 1, 2019 at 3:00 pmI am making this tonight, and can’t wait! I adore your website, thanks!
vikalinka says
November 1, 2019 at 5:12 pmI am so happy to hear it, Liz! This dish is honestly our family’s staple!
Lina says
October 17, 2018 at 5:21 amThis was really good! Even though I forgot the basil and Parmesan. Good job 👍
vikalinka says
October 17, 2018 at 8:50 amI am so pleased to hear it, Lina! It’s such a feel good dinner. Simple and comforting.
Isabella says
February 4, 2016 at 8:20 pmThis recipe is so good! My whole family loves it.
Biba says
December 18, 2015 at 6:53 pmIs it red or green pesto you use?
vikalinka says
December 19, 2015 at 9:06 amGreen pesto.
maria says
September 14, 2015 at 4:17 pmlooks good!! I was wondering if you could prep ahead of time do everything in the morning then bake it later for dinner?
vikalinka says
September 14, 2015 at 5:51 pmThanks, Maria. I am sure you can! 🙂
Susan says
March 8, 2015 at 10:49 pmthis looks so good and I am going to make it. What are pesto shells?
vikalinka says
March 9, 2015 at 7:37 amThat was a typo, it was supposed to be pasta shells, Susan. I’ve corrected it, thank you for noticing! Pesto shells would’ve been hard to find! 🙂
Brigitte Staudt says
December 20, 2014 at 8:59 pmI made this today for lunch–EXCELLENT!! Will definitely make again. Simple ingredients, usually on hand–finished off the little pesto jar I had in the refrigerator. Your photographs are beautiful, and you never disappoint with the final product!! Thank you so much! Always looking forward to what you post.
vikalinka says
December 21, 2014 at 7:02 pmBrigitte, thank you so much for your sweet comment. You just made my day! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Tammy Renea says
December 20, 2014 at 1:12 pmYour pictures are just beautiful! Love the recipe.
vikalinka says
December 20, 2014 at 5:03 pmThank you, Tammy!
Katya @ Little Broken says
December 16, 2014 at 12:39 amI love simple pasta dishes like these! Makes a quick dinner, especially during a weeknight and much loved with little peeps 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
December 14, 2014 at 9:25 pmLove the idea of adding pesto to pasta, and especially love another quick weeknight meal idea!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
December 13, 2014 at 6:20 pmYes please to a one pot wonder, these shells look mouth watering!