Creamy Beef Pasta (Printable)
Tender beef in rich creamy sauce coating perfectly cooked pasta. A hearty, satisfying Italian-American comfort food ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
→ Beef & Aromatics
02 - 14 oz ground beef
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup beef broth
07 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
10 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan, for serving
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Mix in tomato paste, Italian herbs, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute to release flavors and bloom the spices.
05 - Pour in beef broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Lower heat to medium. Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring until cheese melts and sauce becomes creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if needed for silkier consistency. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in 35 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- The creamy sauce clings to every curve of pasta so nobody fights over who got the saucy bits
02 -
- Heavy cream can separate if boiled too aggressively so keep the heat at medium once it goes into the pan
- The sauce thickens quickly as it cools so do not panic if it looks thinner than you want while still hot
03 -
- The smoked paprika is the secret ingredient that makes people ask what is different about this
- Do not skip the step of cooking the tomato paste with the spices because it deepens the entire sauce