Every Helping
Sign in

Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Toasted Pasta Seca with Beef and Mushrooms

Toasted whole-wheat pasta simmered right in a smoky roasted red pepper and tomato broth with cumin-spiced beef and browned mushrooms until tender and saucy, finished with tangy queso fresco, lime and cilantro.

Toasted Pasta Seca with Beef and Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 12 oz340 gWhole-wheat pasta, dryshort shape such as penne or elbows
  • 1 lb450 gGround beef, 90% lean
  • 3¼ cups sliced225 gWhite mushroomssliced
  • 2½ medium300 gRed bell pepperseeded and cut into wide strips
  • 1 medium110 gYellow oniondiced
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 1 whole14 gJalapeñoseeded and minced
  • 14 oz400 gDiced tomatoes, canned
  • 3¼ cups700 gReduced-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tbsp25 gOlive oil
  • 2½ tsp6 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)smoked
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 2 tsp2 gDried oregano
  • 1⅛ tsp3 gChili powder
  • ½ tsp3 gSalt
  • ½ cup crumbled60 gQueso frescocrumbled
  • 1 cup chopped16 gFresh cilantrochopped
  • ½ lime, juiced22 gLime juice

Steps

  1. Prep everything first: slice the mushrooms, cut the bell pepper into strips, dice the onion, mince the garlic and jalapeño, crumble the queso fresco and chop the cilantro.
  2. Heat one third of the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper strips and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a blender, add the canned tomatoes and half of the beef broth, and blend until smooth to make the roasted pepper sauce.
  3. Add another third of the olive oil to the pot with the dry pasta and stir over medium heat until the pasta is toasted golden in spots, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pasta to a bowl.
  4. Add the remaining third of the olive oil and the mushrooms to the pot and cook undisturbed until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
  5. Add the ground beef, breaking it up, and cook until browned and it reaches 160°F (71°C), about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chili powder and salt and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the roasted pepper sauce and the remaining half of the beef broth, bring to a boil, then stir in the toasted pasta. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
  7. Stir in the lime juice, then serve topped with the queso fresco and cilantro.

Contains: Milk, Gluten.

Cook mode Log it in Today

Made it

Made it? Share how yours turned out.

Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

Want one that fits your numbers?

Pick the meal, the pan and your targets, and the Every Helping recipe generator writes a recipe with every number worked out. Free on the web.

Make a recipeMore from the recipe book