Description
This 35-minute one-pot creamy beef pasta is a comforting and hearty meal perfect for busy weeknights. Ground beef is cooked with onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then simmered with crushed tomatoes and beef broth before adding pasta to cook right in the flavorful sauce. Finished with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese for a rich, creamy texture, this easy skillet meal requires minimal cleanup and delivers maximum taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano recommended)
Pasta and Finishing
- 16 ounces pasta (fusilli, rotini, or similar)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking and stirring occasionally until softened, about 4–6 minutes.
- Brown the Beef: Add ground beef to the pot and season with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through.
- Add Liquids and Tomatoes: Pour in beef broth and crushed tomatoes, stirring to combine. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook Pasta: Add pasta to the simmering sauce and reduce heat to medium. Cover the pot and cook for 9–12 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is al dente.
- Finish the Sauce: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the heavy cream and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Adjust sauce consistency by adding beef broth one tablespoon at a time if too thick, or simmering a few minutes longer if too thin.
- Serve: Serve the creamy beef pasta immediately, topped with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Note that the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
Notes
- Use San Marzano crushed tomatoes for best flavor.
- Red pepper flakes are optional for a spicy kick.
- If the sauce becomes too thick after adding cream, thin with extra beef broth.
- Pasta can be substituted with fusilli, rotini, or other similar shapes that hold sauce well.
- For a lower-fat version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk but the sauce will be less rich.
- Make sure to stir occasionally while pasta cooks to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
