Need some quick and easy dinner recipes? Have ground beef in your freezer and no idea what to make tonight? All you need need is a skillet and a stovetop for this easy Italian recipe.

I love it, because the ingredients are inexpensive, it is easy and quick to make, and it is really delicious. It is one of my husband’s favorites. There are so many different variations you can try. I hope you like it too. Let me know what you think. Here is is:

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced seasoned tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cups water
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 cup fresh spinach (optional)

Directions

• In a large skillet on the stovetop, cook beef over medium high heat until no longer pink; drain. Add in the onion and saute until soft.
• Add the tomatoes, water, soup mix, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-9 minutes or until macaroni is tender.
• Add in the fresh spinach if desired and stir about 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese all over the top. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

See! Super easy for busy moms or anyone who needs an inexpensive, easy dinner recipe that takes less than 30 minutes. Italian pasta in a skillet. So simple! This is one of the best skillet macaroni and beef recipes I’ve found, because there are so many different variations you can create.

You can try penne pasta or shells for a thicker version. If you use larger pasta you might want to add in about 8 oz. tomato sauce or about half a jar of spaghetti sauce to add extra liquid. Allow a little longer cooking time as well. If you decide to cook the pasta separately and add it in, make sure you reduce the water to 1 cup.

For the meat you can try half beef and half ground Italian sausage or all ground sausage to add a little more flavor.

To save calories use ground turkey instead. It tastes just as good! You can also use half-skim cheese instead of whole milk mozzarella. You can really use any cheese you happen to have on hand, but mozzarella is my favorite for this dish.

Other variations:

Add in a 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to add a little kick. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic with the onion in the browning stage. Increase the Italian seasoning to 2 teaspoons. Add in 1/2 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder.

Throw in some fresh parsley to the sauce. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper. Try adding 1/2 cup mushrooms.

This is one of those recipes that you can throw together with just about anything you happen to have on hand. It is hard to mess it up, and everyone will enjoy it. How can you go wrong with meat, macaroni, tomatoes, and cheese? I really enjoy the flavors of onion and garlic, tomatoes, and cheese. I love all things Italian!

Try it tonight and let me know what you think. Did you prepare it as is, or did you try your own variation? Do you have any creative suggestions of your own? Please leave your reviews, suggestions, and comments below. I’d love to hear from you!