Marry Me Ground Beef Pasta (Printable)
Rich, creamy beef pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan in a velvety sauce
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean recommended)
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
06 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
→ Dairy & Cream
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
09 - 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
05 - Pour in the beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Let reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
07 - Add cooked pasta and baby spinach (if using) to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with extra parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce transforms into this velvety restaurant quality masterpiece in under 30 minutes without any fancy techniques
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to really become friends
02 -
- That reserved pasta water is liquid gold, full of starch that helps bind the sauce to every piece of pasta
- The sauce will thicken as it stands off the heat, so do not be afraid if it looks slightly thinner than you want in the pan
03 -
- Grate your own parmesan from a wedge instead of buying pre grated for the smoothest melting
- Drain the sun dried tomatoes well but save that flavored oil for drizzling over other dishes