Description
This one pot creamy tomato beef pasta is a quick and flavorful dish combining ground beef, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato cream sauce with short pasta. Perfect for an easy and comforting dinner that requires minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and aromatics
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g ground beef
Seasonings and liquids
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
Pasta and finishing
- 350g short pasta (fusilli, penne, or elbow macaroni)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil over high heat in a large heavy-based pot. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cook for 1 1/2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Cook beef and season: Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, cook until no longer pink. Stir in Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to remove raw flavor.
- Add liquids and pasta: Pour in crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir well, then add the pasta.
- Simmer pasta: Bring mixture to a simmer, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, increasing stirring frequency near the end to prevent sticking. Pasta should be just tender.
- Add cream and finish: Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more until sauce is creamy and slightly loose. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Stir well and serve immediately with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Italian herbs can be substituted with a mix of dried oregano, parsley, and basil or 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- Use chicken stock for best flavor; alternatives include dehydrated stock powders like Vegeta or Knorr mixed with water.
- Use short pasta shapes for even cooking; if using long pasta, break in half and reduce quantity slightly.
- Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days refrigerated but are not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
