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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.

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

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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!

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240 comments on “Ground Beef Pasta”

  1. Hello, I am making this tonight. I am adding fresh uncooked carrots. When do I add them so they get cooked enough? Love your recipes! Thank you

  2. I needed a recipe for ground beef and this hit the spot!!!! I added a bit of paprika and pink Himalayan salt. Perfecto!!!!

  3. Tonight will be my second time making it!! I made in for my fiancé a few weeks ago and he’s been wanting me to make it again ever since! 
    Adding in a green salad as well 
    🤍🤍

  4. This is recipe is totally delicious, my family loved it. Next time I will add less tomato sauce though. Definitely an easy meal to prepare on the stovetop.
    I added half a bag of frozen corn, carrots, beans and peas and I used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half. Grating cheese was the ticket as well. I usually take the easy way out with store bought shredded cheese, not any more!

    It is best paired with a green salad too many carbs with garlic bread I thought.

  5. I made this deliciousness for my family the other night and forgot to leave a stellar review! My sister-in-law, niece, nephew, dad, & husband all called it “gourmet hamburger helper.” I ended up easily doubling the recipe, added about 3 more cups of freshly shredded cheeses: extra sharp orange and white cheddar & parmesan (can ya tell we love cheese & side note: my wonderful hubby bought me the Kitchenaid shredder attachment and the difference is outstandingly obvious), these swirly-like organic noodles from Costco, and it went over so well, that my SIL had to take some leftovers for her lunch the next day! Thank you, yet again, for another keeper-of-a-recipe! I can’t wait to get your cookbook delivered soon!
    Stephanie – I am sending you oodles of gratitude. xo

    • Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such great comments and a review Carrie!❤️ I love that your husband called it ‘gourmet hamburger helper’, I think that’s very accurate! We love cheese in this family as much as you guys do!

  6. Just made this tonight, and liked it a lot! It took me longer than 30 minutes – closer to an hour and a half – but I’m a bachelor and 70 years old, so I hope I get some slack cut me! I added fresh mushrooms, which are a favorite of mine. This is a great bachelor meal – who can beat pasta and hamburger? – but “great bachelor food” may not be a big selling point. 😉

  7. Hi Stephanie,
    I was looking on the web for a soft meat and pasta dish. This was greatly appreciated by my 17 year old daughter who just had her braces tightened, giving her very sore teeth; it just slipped down! We all loved the taste, thank you!

    • I’m so happy this was a great choice for your daughter Melissa. I remember those days when the braces got tightened, I hated it! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💗

  8. This has become my go to last minute recipe. Husband loves it and my one year old enjoys it too. Tastes great.

  9. Loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

  10. My family and I love this recipe, it’s a regular in our rotation!

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