One pan, and the rotini never sees a colander. It simmers covered in the beef broth and tomato for twelve to fourteen minutes, absorbing the liquid rather than being cooked separately and dressed.
That is also why the cheese goes in off the heat. Two cups of cheddar into a pan that is still simmering would string; turned off first, it melts into the sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking tomato paste for a minute after the beef deepens it before any liquid arrives.
- Three cups of broth against twelve ounces of pasta is the ratio that leaves a sauce rather than a soup or a dry pan.
- Stirring twice during the covered simmer stops the rotini catching on the base.
- Yellow mustard is what makes it taste of a cheeseburger rather than of beef and tomato.
Ingredient Notes
- Rotini
- Twelve ounces, cooked in the sauce. It is never boiled separately and never drained.
- Cheddar, divided
- Two cups: a cup and a half stirred in off the heat, the rest scattered on top.
- Yellow mustard
- A teaspoon. Small, but it is what gives the dish its cheeseburger character.
How to Make It
Brown the beef to 160F
Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit; drain excess fat.
Deepen the base
Stir in salt, pepper and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Simmer the pasta in the sauce
Add tomatoes, broth, rotini and mustard. Cover and simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring twice, until pasta is tender.
Cheese, off the heat
Turn off heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar until melted.
Finish
Top with remaining cheddar, diced tomato if desired, and parsley.
Three Stages in One Pan
Nothing leaves the skillet and nothing is drained. Each stage changes what is in the pan rather than moving it somewhere else.
Stage 1 of 3
The meat stage
Steps 1–2 of 5
1 lb of ground beef browned with a diced onion to 160F, then the fat drained off, then 2 tbsp of tomato paste cooked in for a minute. The paste goes in while the pan is still dry and hot, which is what deepens it.
- Brown the beef to 160FBrown ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit; drain excess fat.
- Deepen the baseStir in salt, pepper and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Stage 2 of 3
The pasta stage, covered
Steps 3–3 of 5
A 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, 3 cups of beef broth, 12 oz of rotini and 1 tsp of yellow mustard, covered and simmered 12 to 14 minutes with two stirs. The pasta absorbs the liquid instead of being boiled and dressed - which is why the broth quantity is exact.
- Simmer the pasta in the sauceAdd tomatoes, broth, rotini and mustard. Cover and simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring twice, until pasta is tender.
Stage 3 of 3
The cheese stage, off the heat
Steps 4–5 of 5
Heat OFF, then 1 1/2 cups of cheddar stirred through until melted. The residual heat is enough; a live simmer would pull the cheese into strings. The remaining 1/2 cup goes on top with diced tomato and parsley.
- Cheese, off the heatTurn off heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar until melted.
- FinishTop with remaining cheddar, diced tomato if desired, and parsley.
Success Tips
- Drain the beef properly — undrained fat sits on top of a one-pan sauce with nowhere to go.
- Stir twice during the covered simmer so the rotini does not stick to the base.
- Turn the heat off before the cheddar goes in.
Serving Ideas
Six servings straight from the skillet, the rotini in orange-red sauce with the beef and melted cheese, topped with the reserved cheddar, diced tomato and parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I drain the pasta?
No. It cooks in the broth and tomato, and the liquid is measured to be absorbed.
My cheese went stringy.
Turn the heat off before stirring it in. A simmering pan is what makes cheddar string.
How done should the beef be?
160 degrees Fahrenheit, then drained.
