Cacciatore is an Italian word meaning hunter. When you prepare something cacciatore, it means you add onions, herbs, and bell peppers. Tomatoes are often added as well, and wine is a popular ingredient included in some cacciatore recipes.
Cacciatore recipes are often complicated and time-consuming to make. It can feel like a dish that's only suited for nights where you have a lot of time. However, cacciatore doesn't always have to be difficult to make. It's possible to make a great cacciatore dish without a lot of effort or time.
It's all about finding the right recipe. There are hundreds of cacciatore recipes online, but only some of them take the time to think about how much time you have on your hands. We've tried to consider the busy parent with this recipe.
This cacciatore recipe is a bit of a takeoff on the traditional. We have simplified it to make it easier to prepare. Compared to many other cacciatore recipes, it will save you time and effort. Let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in this cacciatore penne Recipe.
Cacciatore Penne Recipe
Cacciatore recipes are usually made with chicken or rabbit. Some even use salami. However, for this recipe, we use ground beef or Italian sausage, which we think is perfect for picking up the sweetness of the pepper.
For our non-meat selections, we went with green sweet pepper and mushrooms.
Pasta sauce is added. This is often used in cacciatore dishes as a substitute for actual tomatoes. We think it works to flavor the dish perfectly. We also use penne for the pasta, which serves to make a hearty base for our dish.
The preparation is simple. All you need to do is cook the pasta until its tender. The pepper and meat are then cooked together. Then, the sauce and mushrooms are heated and added. Finally, just add all the ingredients to the pasta and serve. It’s that simple!
This makes a perfect substitute for other cacciatore dishes that can take hours to make.
Chicken Penne Recipes
Aside from our cacciatore dish, there are many dishes that can be created using chicken and penne as a base. Here are some examples.
Creamy Garlic Chicken Penne: Just as it sounds, this recipe has a basic penne and chicken base with garlic and other seasonings added to taste. A white cream sauce and parmesan cheese give the dish a great, rich texture.
Chicken Penne Casserole: Chicken and penne are the base of the casserole in this dish. Other ingredients like tomato, red and green peppers, and cheese are added to make the ingredients work together perfectly.
Penne with Chicken and Asparagus: This is a healthy and delicious way to fix penne and chicken. Olive oil makes a light and flavorful sauce, and garlic and parmesan cheese add to the richness of the taste.
Dump and Bake Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta: This dish is so easy to make, you don’t even have to boil the pasta or cook the chicken or vegetables. In addition to chicken and penne, the recipe also calls for healthy veggies like onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and celery. Other ingredients include cheese, milk, seasonings, and broth. When you mix everything together, the moisture of the milk and broth works to tenderize the chicken and pasta as it cooks.
There is so much you can do using chicken and penne as a base. Adding cacciatore ingredients is just one way to become inspired. However, we are confident that the recipe we offer here will be one that takes your meal to the next level, without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Try making it for your family tonight!
PrintCacciatore-Style Penne
- Total Time: 45 minutes
Description
Cacciatore can be a time-consuming dish, but with only 5 ingredients this version is a hearty winner for a quick delicious Italian dinner.
Ingredients
1 pound dried penne pasta
8 ounces lean ground beef or bulk Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1– 14 ounce jar pasta sauce
1– 4 1/2 ounce can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms drained
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to hot pan, cover keep warm.
2. In large skillet cook ground beef and sweet pepper over medium-high heat until meat is brown and pepper is tender, drain off fat.
3. Stir in pasta sauce and mushrooms, heat through.
4. In large serving bowl toss meat mixture with hot cooked pasta.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sauteeing
- Cuisine: American
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/LauriPatterson.