One-Pot Creamy Beef Pasta with Garlic Butter

What if you could make a deeply satisfying, hearty pasta dinner that the whole family will love, and only have one single pot to wash at the end? It sounds like a weeknight miracle, but this recipe makes it a reality. This One-Pot Creamy Beef Pasta is the ultimate comfort food solution for busy evenings. The pasta cooks directly in a savory garlic butter sauce along with seasoned ground beef, absorbing all the incredible flavor as it becomes perfectly tender. Finished with a swirl of salty Parmesan cheese, it’s a complete meal that delivers on taste, ease, and minimal cleanup.

Ingredients for Your One-Pot Pasta

You only need a handful of simple, affordable ingredients to create this incredibly flavorful dish.

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity
Lean ground beef	1 lb
Fresh garlic, minced	4 cloves
Unsalted butter	2 tablespoons
Penne or spaghetti pasta	8 ounces
Low-sodium beef broth	1/2 cup
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese	1/2 cup
Dried Italian seasoning	1 teaspoon
Fresh parsley, chopped	For garnish

Timing

This recipe is the definition of a quick and easy meal, perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table fast.

• Preparation Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps to create a complete pasta dinner in a single pot.

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef

In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart as it cooks. Continue cooking until it’s no longer pink, then drain off any excess grease.

Step 2: Create the Garlic Butter Base

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and minced garlic to the pot with the cooked beef. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Step 3: Simmer the Sauce

Stir in the Italian seasoning and the beef broth, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Step 4: Cook the Pasta in the Sauce

Add the uncooked pasta to the pot. Stir well and press the pasta down gently to ensure it is as submerged in the liquid as possible. Cover the pot and cook according to the pasta package directions, or until the pasta is al dente (tender with a slight bite). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 5: Stir in Parmesan for Creaminess

Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Immediately stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted, creating a light, creamy sauce that coats the pasta and beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Garnish and Serve

Ladle the creamy beef pasta into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese before serving hot.

Nutritional Information

Here is an estimated nutritional breakdown per serving, assuming 4 servings.

• Calories: ~550 kcal
• Protein: 35 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 45 g

A Healthier Creamy Beef Pasta

This comforting dish can easily be adapted with a few simple swaps.

• Leaner Protein: Use extra-lean ground beef (93/7), ground turkey, or ground chicken to lower the fat content.
• Add Vegetables: This is a great recipe for hiding veggies! Stir in a large handful of fresh spinach at the very end and let it wilt into the pasta, or sauté sliced mushrooms along with the ground beef.
• Whole Grains: Use whole-wheat pasta for an extra boost of fiber. Note that whole-wheat pasta may require a few extra minutes of cooking time and a splash more broth.

Serving Suggestions

This one-pot meal is wonderfully complete on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with simple sides.

• On the Side: A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette or a side of steamed broccoli or green beans makes for a perfectly balanced meal.
• For the Sauce: You can never go wrong with a side of crusty garlic bread for soaking up every last bit of the delicious garlic butter sauce.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

For perfect one-pot pasta every time, keep these tips in mind.

• Pasta Doesn’t Cook Evenly: This can happen if the pasta isn’t fully submerged in the cooking liquid. Solution: After adding the pasta, use your spoon to press it down into the broth. If it’s still looking dry, you can add another ¼ cup of broth or water.
• A Runny or Thick Sauce: The starch from the cooking pasta is what thickens the sauce. Solution: If your sauce is too thin after the pasta is cooked, simply let it stand for a few minutes off the heat; it will thicken up. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of milk or beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Clumpy Cheese: Adding cheese to a boiling sauce can cause it to become stringy or clumpy. Solution: Always remove the pot from the direct heat before you stir in the Parmesan cheese. This allows it to melt gently and smoothly into the sauce.

Storing Tips

Leftovers of this pasta dish are a fantastic and easy lunch for the next day!

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: The pasta will absorb more of the sauce as it sits. When reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop, add a splash of milk, cream, or beef broth to loosen the sauce and make it creamy again.

Conclusion

This One-Pot Creamy Beef Pasta is a true weeknight hero. It’s a hearty, savory, and incredibly satisfying meal that comes together in about 30 minutes with minimal effort and cleanup. The magic of cooking the pasta directly in the garlic butter sauce creates a rich flavor that will have everyone asking for seconds. It’s the perfect, reliable recipe for those busy nights when you need a delicious dinner on the table fast. We hope this becomes a new favorite in your home. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

FAQs

Q1. Can I use a different shape of pasta?

Yes! While penne and spaghetti are great, this recipe works well with other short pasta shapes like rotini, fusilli, or rigatoni. Adjust the cooking time according to your pasta’s package directions.

Q2. Can I make this dish spicy?

Absolutely. For a kick of heat, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the pot when you sauté the garlic.

Q3. I don’t have beef broth. What can I use instead?

You can substitute the beef broth with chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even just water. If using water, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt or a bouillon cube for added flavor.

Q4. Can I add heavy cream to make the sauce even richer?

Of course! For an even more decadent and creamy sauce, stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream along with the Parmesan cheese at the end.