Dinner is ground beef pasta!
And everyone in the family will love this, even the picky eaters! I don’t want to be a part of any dinner recipe that takes more than 30 minutes to make. We always have a good pasta dinner, and in addition to this recipe, we also make Spicy Sausage Pasta and One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta over and over again!
Who has the time or energy for that? Unless it’s something in the slow cooker, of course. I want my dinners to be quick and easy. And I don’t want to make the same three or four recipes over and over. Is that too much to ask?
Why You Will Love This Easy Pasta Dinner with Ground Beef:
- Getting ready for it is so easy. There isn’t much to do to get this beefy pasta skillet ready. While the pasta is cooking, brown the meat and then add the vegetables. Add cheese to everything at the end, and dinner is ready.
- The best thing is leftovers! This simple ground beef recipe tastes even better the next day. It’s so great when the spices and flavors have time to mix and soak in.
- In 30 minutes, it’s done. Who has time for anything else? Not us! We want a big meal as soon as possible. On busy weeknights, 30-minute dinner recipes are a dream.
- Uses things you already have in your kitchen and pantry. This recipe doesn’t have anything strange or out of the ordinary in it. We always have everything we need for this dinner in the kitchen. When I take some beef out of the freezer to thaw and need to come up with something to make, this is a great recipe because I know I won’t have to go to the store.
Ingredients details:
Ground beef: I usually use lean ground beef, and in this recipe, I use sirloin. Less grease to deal with, but still very tasty. Ground beef, ground chuck, or any other type of meat will work.
For this recipe, use a sweet yellow onion, a red onion, or even a shallot.
Tomato paste: A little bit will help the sauce get thicker.
Broth: Beef broth is best, but chicken broth can also work. It should be low in sodium.
Fresh baby spinach is what we always use, but you could also use frozen spinach.
I use an Italian seasoning that does NOT have garlic in it. If your seasoning already has garlic in it, use less garlic powder in the recipe and then taste it to see if you need to add more. If you want, you can add some fresh Italian herbs right before serving.
Red pepper: A little bit of red pepper flakes will give the dish a little kick, but you can leave them out or cut them down if you don’t like them.
I usually use “salad shells” for pasta, which are the perfect size for a bite. You might not want to use the whole 16 oz. box if you use a smaller pasta shape because it might be too much. You can start by adding 2/3 of the pasta and then adding more if you want.
Pasta water: This is a very important ingredient, even though I forget it more often than I want to admit. This ground beef pasta needs the starchy water to really seal the deal. It makes the sauce stick to the pasta better.
Parmesan: We always have parmesan cheese on hand, so that’s what we use by default, but you could use other kinds of cheese just as easily. You can also mix your favorite cheeses, like Romano, Pecorino, and Asiago.
Heavy cream: This wasn’t in the original recipe, but I always added it when I made this ground beef pasta dinner. You can add it as an ingredient and decide if you want a creamier sauce. I think heavy cream is better than whole milk or even half and half, but you could use half and half and be fine.
- 16 oz box of pasta shells
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 T olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 2-3 c baby spinach
- 2 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, juices included, don’t drain
- 3 T tomato paste
- 1 c beef broth
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (or about 1 tsp garlic powder)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp. cracked pepper
- ½ tsp. salt, or more or less to taste
- ¾ cup of reserved pasta water
- ½ cup of heavy cream (optional)
- Fresh parmesan (for serving)
- Chopped basil (for serving)
- Chopped parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- Follow the pasta directions to cook it until it is al dente. When you drain the pasta, set aside about 3/4 cup of the water for later. Mix the pasta with about a tablespoon of olive oil and set it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it shines.
- Add the ground beef and cook it until it is brown, stirring it often. (about 7 to 9 minutes) Get rid of any extra oil.
- Add spinach, tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, garlic, seasonings, salt, and pepper to the beef after it is done cooking. Cook until the spinach is wilted and the other ingredients are mixed in.
- Add the heavy cream, parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water that you set aside. Turn the heat down to medium low. Stir to mix, then let it simmer for a few minutes so the sauce thickens and the parmesan melts completely.
- Add the pasta and mix it in. If you want, you can add more reserved pasta water. If your skillet is small, you can mix the beef mixture into the pasta pan instead. This will make it easier to mix.
- Sprinkle fresh parmesan, chopped basil, and/or chopped parsley on top and serve. Serve this easy meal with freshly baked garlic bread and a salad.
Tips & Variations
Cooking the pasta al dente will give you the best results. If you cook this ground beef pasta for too long, the pasta will get mushy and the pieces may start to break apart. You simmer it a little at the end after adding the pasta, which may still make it a little softer.
You can add up to 1/2 cup more cream to make the pasta saucier. You can also cut the amount of pasta by a quarter. You could also add 1/2 cup of marinara sauce or more, depending on how much you want. There are many ways to customize this easy pasta recipe with ground beef.
This is the secret to so many pasta recipes: reserved pasta water. This pasta recipe works great with that starchy water, which is a great ingredient to use when making pasta dishes.
Tip for meal prep: Cook your pasta ahead of time on the weekend. When the rest is done cooking, all you have to do is stir it in. You won’t have to worry about that when you make dinner.
How to Store
Let the leftover pasta cool down a bit, then put it in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3–4 days. I believe this dish tastes better the next day!
You can freeze the beef and sauce mix for up to three months. You can freeze the recipe with the pasta, but the pasta will not be the same after it has been frozen.
Is ground beef required for this recipe?
Not really. But I guess if you use turkey, you’ll want to call it a Turkey and Shells Skillet dinner, right? You can really use ground turkey or even ground chicken instead of the beef in this grouch beef pasta. Italian sausage would also be delicious! There are a lot of ways to change this tasty dinner to fit anyone’s needs or tastes.
Nutrition Information
Food
Calories: 593kcal, Carbs: 62g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 501mg, Potassium: 638mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1497IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 178mg, Iron: 4mg
You should only use the nutrition information as a rough guide because it is calculated automatically.