Description
Hearty Stovetop Ground Beef Pasta delivers comforting Italian-inspired flavors with rich meaty sauce and perfectly cooked noodles. Weeknight dinner champions will appreciate this simple, satisfying one-pot meal that brings family together around steaming plates of deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta and Dairy:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) short pasta (penne or rotini)
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese (softened)
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice onions and mince garlic with precision for optimal flavor distribution.
- Heat skillet to medium temperature, sear ground beef until completely browned, carefully eliminating accumulated grease.
- Introduce onions and garlic into the skillet, sautéing until aromatics release their fragrant essence and vegetables become translucent (approximately 5 minutes).
- Pour beef broth into the skillet, then add uncooked pasta, ensuring thorough integration and bringing mixture to a gentle, rolling simmer.
- Reduce cooking temperature to low, incorporate cream cheese cubes systematically, continuously stirring until ingredients merge into a velvety, homogeneous sauce.
- Enhance dish with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; conduct a flavor assessment to confirm balanced seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Drain ground beef thoroughly to prevent excess grease from making the sauce too oily and heavy.
- Use lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7) for a healthier version that still maintains rich flavor without excessive fat.
- Room temperature cream cheese melts faster and creates a smoother, more consistent sauce without lumps.
- Consider gluten-free pasta alternatives like chickpea or rice pasta for those with wheat sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 485 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 370 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg