The Cozy Cook

Book cover graphicThe Cozy Cookbook is here! Order Now!

Ground Beef Pasta

This Ground Beef Pasta recipe is an easy 30 minute meal that you can make with any kind of pasta. Your family will love the creamy, cheesy, Italian sauce!

Be sure to serve this with a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese!

A wooden spoon full of creamy Ground Beef Pasta with Rotini noodles.

Ground Beef Pasta

You know the Italian-style version of Hamburger Helper? This is about 60 times better than that, and literally takes the same amount of time to make.

Hamburger Helper looks tasty to me, but always comes up short. I promise, this ground beef pasta recipe does not disappoint. Once you try it, you’ll be making it all the time. I think my family eats it about once a week.

Easy ground beef recipes are the best. The ingredients in this one are super simple, so let’s start there:

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Cook and crumble the ground beef and onions. Drain grease. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, and flour. Stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Ground beef in a skillet with tomato sauce being added to make Ground Beef Pasta.

Cook for 15 minutes while you start boiling water for the pasta. Boil the pasta for 7 minutes or per package instructions.

Slowly stir in the half and half to the sauce. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in the cheese. Stir to combine.

Adding cream and cheese to meaty tomato sauce for Ground Beef Pasta.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Serve with garlic bread with cheese.

Adding rotini pasta to creamy sauce and combining it for Ground Beef Pasta.

Pro Tips

  • Shred the cheese first and set it aside along with the half and half, they shouldn’t be cold when added to the sauce.
  • If possible, shred your cheese from a block, it melts and tastes better than packaged shredded cheese. I like to use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow.
  • Penne, Rigatoni, Ziti, Bowtie, or Cavatappi are good pastas with this meal as well.
  • Optional ingredient additions include drained diced tomatoes, frozen peas, carrots, and/or corn.
  • Milk can be used instead of half and half, but the sauce won’t be quite as thick and creamy. Reduce the heat to low prior to adding to avoid curdling it, whole milk works best.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 136!

Storage

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Try These Next

Get My Free Meal Plan

I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!

And follow me on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest!

A close up view of Beef Pasta on a plate with creamy Rotini noodles.

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wooden spoon full of creamy Ground Beef Pasta.

Ground Beef Pasta

4.98 from 99 ratings
This Ground Beef Pasta recipe is an easy 30 minute meal that you can make with any kind of pasta. Your family will love the creamy, cheesy, Italian sauce!

Ingredients

  • 1 + ½ lbs. ground beef, 85% lean
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 Tablespoons flour, optional-helps thicken the sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 16 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup half and half, (half cream, half milk)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ pound Rotini pasta

Instructions

  • Shred the cheese and set it aside along with the half and half. We don’t want those to be cold when we add them to the sauce.
  • Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium heat. Add the onions halfway through and cook until softened.
  • Drain grease. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, and flour. Stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
  • Add chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes while you start boiling water for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 7 minutes or per package instructions.
  • Slowly add in the half and half to the sauce, stirring as you go.
  • Reduce heat to low and slowly sprinkle in the cheese. Stir to combine. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Serve with garlic bread with cheese.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • If possible, shred your cheese from a block, it melts and tastes better than packaged shredded cheese. I like to use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow.
  • Penne, Rigatoni, Ziti, Bowtie, or Cavatappi are good pastas with this meal as well.
  • Optional ingredient additions: Drained diced tomatoes, frozen peas, carrots, and/or corn.
  • Milk can be used instead of half and half, but the sauce won’t be quite as thick and creamy. Reduce the heat to low prior to adding to avoid curdling it, whole milk works best. Conversely, heavy cream may also be used.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 136!

Storage: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 668kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 55g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 146mg, Sodium: 1738mg, Potassium: 1303mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 902IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 316mg, Iron: 7mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

Order The Cozy Cookbook!

Easy Recipes. Extra Comfort.

Order your copy today!

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Click the Stars to Rate This Recipe




240 comments on “Ground Beef Pasta”

  1. Wow! This dish is amazing! I used TexMex cheese instead because that’s what I had and it was delicious! Even my picky eater is in love!

  2. I was looking for something different to make with ground beef and came across this recipe. I had pretty much everything thankfully so gave it a go! It was so good & my husband who’s a little more on the pickier side even said, wow babe, that was delish! So I call it a win win. Will make again! 

  3. This was very delicious. I had to use Lentil pasta but it was the so good!! 

  4. This is delicious – Quick and easy to put together – was looking to try a new recipe this evening and this one the spot ! Thanks

  5. It’s very hard to find a pasta meal that my daughter will sit down and eat without picking at. Thank you for sharing a quick easy to make meal that the family can enjoy together.

    • I totally feel your pain about your daughter picking at her food! I’m so happy she enjoyed this one, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and leave a review!💕

  6. If you want to use a whole pound of pasta, how should you adjust the other things?

  7. Simply delicious! My husband and daughter loved it very much! One of my new favorite. Thanks Stephanie! 🙂

  8. Excellent, flavorful, quick, and easy meal! Will definitely be a go to recipe.

  9. Excellent! I made this last night and my husband and I both really enjoyed it!  Will definitely make again!

  10. This was absolutely fantastic! I saw this recipe on Instagram and was floored I had all the ingredients! It was so creamy and delicious. My family and I were licking our plates.

    • Isn’t it the best feeling ever when you have all the ingredients for a recipe!? I’m so happy this was such a hit with the family Angel, nice work! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!❤️

As Seen On…