Balsamic Glazed Beef & Tomato Pasta

While we impatiently wait for our slicing tomatoes to ripen up, we are making the most of our assortment of delicious cherry tomatoes. While I am SO ready for my first tomato sandwich made with a juicy, ripe beef steak tomato, this dish really hit the spot. It is quick, simple, and packed with fresh summer flavor. Fresh cherry tomatoes & basil and quality ground beef make all the difference in this recipe. The whole family loved this recipe. It also makes fantastic leftovers (if you have any)!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fresh and Flavorful: The burst of juicy cherry tomatoes combined with the bold flavors of ground beef and fresh basil creates a perfect summer dish.

• Quick and Easy: This recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require a lot of time or complicated steps. Perfect for those busy summer days.

• Versatile: You can easily customize this dish by adding other garden veggies like zucchini or peppers, or even switching up the pasta.

  
  

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 8 oz pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle are great choices)

• 1 lb ground beef

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)

  
  

How to Make

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta of choice and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Once done, drain the pasta, making sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, which you can use later to adjust the consistency of the sauce.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Once the beef is browned and fully cooked, remove it from the skillet and set it aside.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables

Using the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until it’s fragrant. Next, add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes until they start to soften and release their juices. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, stirring to combine all the flavors.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet, mixing it with the sautéed vegetables. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated with the sauce. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Step 5: Finish with Fresh Basil and Parmesan

To finish, stir in the chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy!

Serve the pasta in bowls, garnished with extra basil leaves and a sprinkle of Parmesan if you like. This dish is best enjoyed fresh, allowing the flavors of the summer vegetables to shine.

ENJOY! Hope you love this recipe as much as my family did! If you are local, the Farm Stand typically has BEAUTIFUL cherry tomatoes and the Farm Store always has the VERY best ground beef around.

The Farm Stand is open daily (seasonally). Follow us on Facebook for daily updates. It is run on the honor system so just drop by, grab your vegetables, and drop some cash in the box.

The Farm Store is open Saturdays from 10 AM until Noon (or send us an email/give us a call to setup a time to shop). It has the VERY best locally raised beef and pork products!

The Farm Stand and The Farm Store are located at 9127 S Lathers Rd Beloit, WI 53511.

-Megan