Description
A comforting and indulgent creamy beef pasta dish perfect for weeknight dinners and casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (about 227 g) penne pasta
- 1 lb (about 454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup (about 100 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil, for sautéing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water — set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and 2 tsp Italian seasoning as it cooks.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in 1 cup heavy cream. Allow it to warm gently — do not boil. Add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese gradually, stirring to melt it into the cream and form a silky sauce.
- Add the cooked penne to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce. Heat together for 1–2 minutes so flavors marry.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
For lower-fat options, consider substituting half-and-half or whole milk for heavy cream and using reduced-sodium Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 800
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 50g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 120mg