Description
A comforting and flavorful weeknight pasta dish featuring ground beef simmered in a creamy, tomato-based sauce with Italian seasonings, served over perfectly cooked pasta. This recipe combines the richness of parmesan and heavy cream with fire-roasted tomatoes for a quick yet satisfying meal ideal for busy evenings.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 ounces pasta (rigatoni or your choice)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 16 ounces ground beef
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- Pinch of baking soda
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion along with a couple pinches of salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes, allowing the onions to brown and caramelize slightly.
- Add garlic, seasoning, and tomato paste: Stir in the diced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the ground beef: Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, creating a well in the center. Add ground beef to the center and cook, breaking it up with a spatula until browned and fully cooked. Use the meat juices to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful browned bits.
- Simmer the tomato sauce: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and a pinch of baking soda. Season with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and shredded Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the sauce is warmed through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well to evenly coat the pasta in the creamy tomato beef sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the pasta garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy immediately.
- Optional feedback: If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review.
Notes
- Use rigatoni or any sturdy pasta shape that holds sauce well.
- Caramelizing onions adds a deeper flavor to the sauce.
- The pinch of baking soda cuts acidity from the tomatoes for a smoother taste.
- Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or plant-based alternatives.
- Heavy cream makes the sauce rich; for a lighter version, use half-and-half or omit altogether.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
