One Pot Ground Beef Pasta

Ground Beef Pasta – one pot hearty meal

This ground beef pasta has a perfect balance of meat and carbs. It’s wholesome and has a cozy comforting vibe. You don’t need an expensive cut of meat to make a delicious dinner. At a fraction of the price ground beef is a versatile ingredient that we almost always have on hand. Gather a few other pantry staples like pasta, tomato sauce, basic seasoning, cheese, and cream, you are 30 minutes away from a fantastic dinner.

There are days when we just can’t cook. We all know that. It could be a tough day at work, a niggling lower back pain or simply a lack of enthusiasm to slog away in the kitchen. But there are hungry mouths waiting to be fed. And let’s be honest, takeouts are easy but not an option we always choose.

So, exactly for such days, we need a recipe like this on the ready. It requires minimal freezer and pantry ingredients and even less prep time. A little bit of chopping, stirring, and bubbling is all that is needed to get the thick meaty sauce ready. The sauce finds its way inside the tubular penne and soon you have a spectacular dish where each mouthful is a hearty, meaty, cheesy delight.

Let’s make the ground beef pasta

Brown the meat and add the aromatics

The trick to get the maximum flavoring in the sauce without simmering for long hours is to brown the meat well, layer it with aromatics and a good blend of seasoning.

Browning the meat gives the sauce an intense beefy flavor. Don’t hurry or skimp on this step. Make sure the pan is hot and spread out the meat in a single layer so that it browns evenly.
Add the onion, garlic, and seasonings at this stage and saute for a couple of minutes

Adding a little bit of flour helps thicken the sauce. We don’t need a lot because when pasta cooks in the sauce, it release starch right into the sauce and thickens the sauce to an extent.

Prepare the sauce and add dry pasta

Add tomato sauce and beef stock to the skillet and mix together to make a sauce. Then stir in dry pasta to the skillet. As it cooks, the pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid. If you feel that the pasta is not cooked enough or the dish is running too dry, add more stock. The pasta should be cooked al dente with a bite at the center.

Garnish with cheese and serve

Gently stir in cheese and heavy cream. Cover it for a bit until the cheese is all melty and gooey.
Sprinkle a little grated parmesan on top and serve it hot. Don’t be late to the table or you might find it gone in seconds !!

A little extra cheese is always welcome. So sometimes once it is done, I sprinkle a layer of mozzarella on top, close the lid and let the cheese melt. Digging into a melty oozy chees layer is fun when you have a kid at home.

Serving Suggestions

The one-pot ground beef pasta is a complete meal on its own. But you might want to keep some toasted garlic bread ready to mop up all the extra sauce. For some homely delights, do check out my No knead Focaccia or No Knead white bread recipes.

You can also pair this dish with some fresh salads or grilled veggies like roasted beet Arugula salad, White bean salad with Arugula, Roasted carrots, Leafy Italian Chopped Salad

Storing Suggestions

You can store leftovers in an air-tight container and place it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It is an excellent lunch box option that can be reheated in a microwave. Re-heat on low until it is warmed through.

Like with all pasta recipes, the longer it sits, the pasta soaks up the sauce and it gets less saucy. So while reheating, I add a bit of warm stock or water to loosen it up. Saying that, the taste stays intact, in fact in this case the meat sauce develops flavor upon resting. So nothing to complain about.

Looking for ways to use Ground Beef?

• Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi
• Ground Beef Ramen Stir Fry
• Ground beef vegetable Skillet
• Asian Ground Beef bowl

More Easy Pasta Recipes