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One Pot Creamy Beef Pasta

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4.7 from 9 reviews

Indulge in this undeniably creamy homemade creamy beef pasta recipe, a twist on a classic favorite that's bursting with freshness and flavor. It's a one pan pasta dish that's made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes– perfect for busy weeknights and a go-to homemade hamburger helper recipe that will disappear fast!

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb 85-92% ground beef
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 lb rotini pasta or another short pasta (shells, elbows)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. In a 5-quart or larger pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and sauté until the ground beef is cooked through (no pink remains)– breaking it apart as it cooks, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Allow to cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour.
  3. Adjust to medium-high heat and pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Give it a stir and bring it to a boil, just as you would for pasta water. Once boiling stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring every few minutes and more frequently towards the end to prevent the pasta from sticking. The time will vary depending on the type of pasta you use– for rotini it's about 11-13 minutes.
  4. About 1 minute before the pasta is cooked, stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese until the cheese is melted. It will be saucy– that's exactly what you want as the pasta will continue to absorb the liquid. Serve immediately.
  5. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead Instructions: The ground beef and onion mixture can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The day of, start at step 2– warm the ground beef in the pan with olive oil prior to adding the flour.
  2. Freezing Instructions: This recipe can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat as desired.
  3. Chicken Broth: Using chicken broth adds more flavor, but in a pinch you can use water though won't be as flavorful. You might need more salt but taste at the end.
  4. Meat: You can use any type of ground meat that you have on hand– I've made this recipe with ground beef, turkey and bison.
  5. Cheese: The cheese is forgiving allowing you to use what you have– I've made it with various types of cheddar, monterey jack, even asiago or a combination of cheeses.
  6. Heavy Cream: Using heavy cream will give you the creamiest texture, but it can easily be substituted with half-and-half, whole milk or a lower fat % milk. I've even used a dairy-free milk in a pinch. Remember, a lower milk fat % will result in a slightly less creamy sauce but it's still delicious!
  7. Pasta: Most pasta with ground beef recipes will use a smaller cut of pasta for the best ratio, like beef and shells and hamburger helper (using elbows), but you can use what you have. I've made it with rotini, rigatoni, elbows, and penne. The cook times for the pasta will vary based on the type used.

    Find it online: https://runlifteatrepeat.com/one-pan-creamy-beef-pasta/