Description
A flavorful one pot creamy tomato beef pasta that combines ground beef, savory tomato sauce, Italian herbs, and tender pasta in a rich creamy sauce. Perfect for a comforting weeknight meal with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g beef mince / ground beef
- 2 tsp Italian herbs (store-bought mix or dried oregano, parsley, basil)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g can crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 350g fusilli, penne, elbow macaroni or other short pasta
- 3/4 cups thickened or heavy cream
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat. Add finely minced garlic and chopped onion and cook for 1 1/2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Cook beef & seasonings: Add the ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking it apart, until no pink meat remains. Stir in the Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flavor.
- All in: Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix well, then add the pasta to the pot.
- Cook 15 minutes: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes and more frequently near the end to prevent the pasta from sticking, until the pasta is just tender.
- Creamy: Pour in the thickened cream and simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will be saucy and slightly oozy, which is ideal as the pasta will absorb more liquid when served.
- Serve: Remove the pot from heat, give everything a good stir, then ladle into bowls. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Italian Herbs: Use store-bought Italian herb mix which typically contains oregano, parsley, and basil. Alternatively, substitute with 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce for a different depth.
- Chicken Stock: Use low sodium chicken broth for flavor. You can substitute with stock powders like Vegeta or Knorr dissolved in water for a cost-effective option.
- Pasta Choice: Any short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or macaroni works well. Avoid very small pasta like risoni or orzo. If using long pasta, break it in half and reduce quantity slightly to about 400g.
- Storage: Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator but are not suitable for freezing as the creamy texture may break down.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
