DESCRIPTION
This easy, cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Dinner is basically grown-up Hamburger Helper. It has so much flavor but is still quick to get on the table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 14 oz. penne pasta
- 1.5 lbs. ground beef
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire
- 1 (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions but remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water just before draining the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in after draining.
- Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add in the beef. Season with the salt and Italian seasoning. Spread out the meat and then cook undisturbed until well-browned underneath, 4-5 minutes. Break up the meat and stir.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully-cooked and no longer pink, about 3-5 more minutes. Drain off any grease, if desired.
- Stir the onions and garlic into the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir and cook to heat through, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the cheese and mix well to melt it in.
- Add the beef mixture to the cooked pasta in the pasta pot. Stir.
- Add in 2-4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to make the sauce a bit silkier. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired.
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