Creamy Ground Beef Pasta
This creamy ground beef pasta is an easy, comforting dinner made with tender pasta, savory ground beef, and a rich, creamy sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients, it’s a family-friendly weeknight meal that’s filling, budget-friendly, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta penne, rotini, or shells
- 1 lb ground beef lean preferred
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup beef broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to bloom flavors.
- Pour in beef broth and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently until slightly thickened.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
- Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Taste and adjust salt.
- Rest 2–3 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- Keep the heat low after adding cream to prevent splitting.
- Drain excess grease from the beef for a lighter, smoother sauce.
- Pasta water helps loosen and bind the sauce—add it gradually.