Barbecued Beef and Pasta

Talk about comfort food! The best in beef BBQ, spooned over tender pasta shells and smothered with cheddar. Plunge that spoon in and get the most scintillating yet comforting mouthful ever. Family-friendly, crowd-pleasing, easy-breezy.

Imagine if a bottle of barbecue sauce fell into your classic Bolognese sauce. That's what this dish is like. BUT, the BBQ sauce is homemade, so YOU control the flavor components - meaning it's not too sweet (I find many prepared sauces are super sugary, which is great for chicken and ribs; not on beef that's going over pasta). But don't fret - the sauce is easy, and made with pantry/fridge staples.

Let me reiterate how comforting this amazing dish is. The sauce is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory, it's thin enough to blanket the pasta, yet thick enough to pile onto a spoon, and the sharp cheddar awakens the other ingredients and sends the whole thing home. It's a winning dish on every level.

Barbecued Beef and Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce, from a carton or can
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 ounces pasta of choice (I used shells)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Fresh parsley leaves for serving, optional

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and Dijon mustard and mix well. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer while you cook the pasta (10 to 15 minutes).
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and transfer to individual shallow bowls. Top the pasta with the beef mixture and then top with the cheddar cheese. Top with parsley, if using, and serve.
Serves 4