Description
This one pot creamy tomato beef pasta is a comforting and hearty dish combining ground beef, Italian herbs, and a rich tomato and cream sauce cooked together with pasta for an easy and delicious meal. Perfect for weeknight dinners, it features tender pasta simmered in a flavorful sauce made from scratch and garnished with parmesan and parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce and Pasta
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g (1 lb) beef mince / ground beef
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (chilli flakes, optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups (1 L) low sodium chicken stock / broth
- 350g (12 oz) short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or elbow macaroni
Finishing Touches
- 3/4 cups thickened / heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese, finely grated, to serve
- Parsley, finely chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large heavy-based pot. Add the finely minced garlic and chopped onion and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Cook beef & seasonings: Add the ground beef to the pot and cook while breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains. Stir in the Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw tomato flavor.
- All in: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well and then add the pasta directly into the pot.
- Cook 15 min: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes and more frequently toward the end to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. The pasta should be just cooked through but still firm.
- Creamy: Stir in the heavy cream and allow the mixture to simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will remain quite saucy, which is ideal as the pasta absorbs liquid quickly.
- Serve: Remove the pot from heat, give everything a good stir, then ladle servings into bowls. Top with finely grated parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Italian herbs typically include a mix of dried oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
- Using low sodium chicken stock helps control the saltiness of the dish.
- Short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or elbow macaroni works best as they cook evenly in the one pot method.
- Stirring frequently towards the end of cooking is crucial to prevent the pasta from sticking and to ensure even cooking.
- The sauce may appear thin at the end of cooking but will thicken slightly as it cools and as the pasta absorbs the liquid.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: one pot pasta, creamy tomato pasta, ground beef pasta, easy dinner, Italian pasta recipe, one pot meals
