Ground Beef Pasta Recipe

This ground beef pasta is an easy 30-minute dinner made with browned beef, onions, garlic, and wide pappardelle tossed in a creamy tomato-Parmesan sauce. A little tomato paste adds depth without turning it into a heavy tomato sauce, while fresh basil, parsley, cream, Parmesan, and Emmental make the sauce rich and flavorful.

It’s simple, hearty, and exactly the kind of pasta dinner you want when you need something good on the table without spending hours in the kitchen.

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There are plenty of ways to make pasta with ground beef, but I don’t want the beef swimming in tomato sauce. For me, the beef should still be the star.

That’s why I use just a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. I let it cook with the browned beef to deepen the flavor, then add broth, fresh herbs, cream, and cheese. You get a creamy sauce that coats the pasta beautifully but you can still taste the beef, garlic, and herbs.

And while I used pappardelle this time, don’t let the pasta shape stop you from making it. I’ve made this with penne too, and both work beautifully.

Why you’ll love this ground beef pasta

• Quick and easy – The beef sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, making this a great weeknight dinner.
• Creamy but not too heavy – Tomato paste, broth, and cream create a sauce that coats the pasta without drowning it.
• Plenty of beef flavor – Browning the ground beef first gives the sauce a deeper, richer flavor.
• Use the pasta you have – I love wide pappardelle here, but penne, rigatoni, tagliatelle, or fettuccine will work too.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Ground beef – I prefer lean ground beef for this recipe. You still get plenty of beef flavor without ending up with an oily cream sauce. If your beef releases a lot of fat, drain some of it before continuing.
• Onion and garlic – Don’t rush the onion. Let it soften and pick up all those browned bits from the beef before adding the garlic.
• Tomato paste – Two tablespoons is enough. We’re adding richness and a little acidity, not making a tomato pasta sauce. Let the paste cook for a minute or two before adding the broth.
• Beef broth – Adds more flavor than water and loosens all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Chicken or vegetable broth will work in a pinch.
• Fresh basil and parsley – I add some to the sauce while it simmers and finish the pasta with more fresh parsley.
• Cream – I use 15% cooking cream. Heavy cream also works, but it will give you a richer sauce.
• Parmesan and Emmental – Parmesan brings the salty, nutty flavor while Emmental melts beautifully and adds creaminess. Gruyère can replace the Emmental.
• Pappardelle – The wide ribbons are wonderful with this chunky ground beef sauce because they catch all those little pieces of meat. Penne, rigatoni, tagliatelle, or fettuccine are all good alternatives.

Step-by-step: Ground Beef Pasta

1. Brown the ground beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until nicely browned, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks.
Tip: Don’t keep stirring! Give the beef some contact with the hot pan so it browns instead of steaming. Those browned bits are flavor.

2. Add the onion and garlic

Then, add the chopped onion and garlic to the beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.

3. Brown the tomato paste

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring it into the beef. It should darken slightly and coat the meat.
Add the fresh basil and parsley and season with salt and black pepper.

4. Simmer the beef sauce

Pour in the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly and the flavors come together.

5. Cook the pasta

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until just al dente, according to the package directions.
Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

6. Make it creamy

Lower the heat under the beef sauce. Add the cream, Parmesan, and Emmental. Stir gently until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is creamy.
Don’t vigorously boil the sauce once you’ve added the cream and cheese.

7. Add the pasta

Add the drained pappardelle directly to the skillet and toss until the pasta is well coated with the creamy ground beef sauce.
If the sauce feels too thick, add a little reserved pasta water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Garnish generously with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan and serve immediately.

Variations

• Make it spicy – Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic.
• Add mushrooms – Brown sliced mushrooms after the beef and before adding the onion.
• Use another pasta – Penne and rigatoni make this easier to eat and are particularly good for kids, while tagliatelle or fettuccine give you a similar result to pappardelle.
• Change the cheese – Gruyère works beautifully instead of Emmental. You can also use all Parmesan for a sharper, less melty sauce.

Tips for success

• Get some color on the beef. Browning creates flavor, so use a large skillet and don’t overcrowd the meat.
• Cook the tomato paste. Raw tomato paste can taste sharp. A minute or two in the skillet mellows it and intensifies its flavor.
• Cook the pasta just until al dente. It will continue cooking when you toss it through the hot beef sauce.
• Always save some pasta water. The starch helps loosen the sauce while keeping it creamy rather than watery.
• Lower the heat before adding cream and cheese. You want the sauce gently heated, not furiously boiling.
• Don’t make the sauce too thick in the skillet. Pappardelle absorbs sauce quickly. If it looks perfect before it hits the plate, it may be too dry five minutes later.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What happened	How to fix it
Sauce is too thick	Pasta absorbed the liquid	Add reserved pasta water a little at a time
Sauce is too thin	Broth didn’t reduce enough	Simmer briefly before adding the pasta
Beef looks grey rather than browned	Pan wasn’t hot enough or was overcrowded	Use medium-high heat and let the meat sit against the pan
Sauce feels greasy	Ground beef released too much fat	Drain excess fat after browning
Cheese isn’t melting smoothly	Sauce was too hot	Reduce heat before adding cream and cheese
Pasta became soft	It was fully cooked before going into the sauce	Drain it while still al dente

More pasta recipes

• Chicken Pasta Recipe
• Mushroom Pasta Recipe
• Turkey Meatballs Pasta
• Pappardelle Pasta with Lamb
• Creamy Cheesy Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Enchilada Pasta Recipe

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Frequently asked questions

More ground beef recipes

• Homemade Bolognese Sauce
• Homemade Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
• Ground Beef Casserole with Cheddar Biscuits
• Cheesy Lasagna Soup
• Delicious Skillet Lasagna

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