Marry Me Ground Beef Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta with ground beef, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan in a rich, luscious sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean recommended)

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
06 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)

→ Dairy & Cream

07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

→ Liquids

09 - 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
05 - Pour in the beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Let reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
07 - Add cooked pasta and baby spinach (if using) to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with extra parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sun-dried tomatoes create little bursts of intense flavor that make every bite interesting
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • The sauce clings to every crevice of the pasta, so nobody gets stuck with plain noodles
02 -
  • Draining the fat from the beef prevents the sauce from becoming greasy, but leave about a tablespoon for flavor
  • The sauce thickens quickly as it cools, so it should look slightly looser than you want when you take it off the heat
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the sauce from breaking or becoming grainy
  • If making ahead, undercook the pasta by two minutes since it will continue absorbing sauce

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