If you’re looking for a cozy, satisfying dinner that doesn’t need hours in the kitchen, this ground beef pasta checks all the boxes. The rich meat sauce is made with simple ingredients like garlic, red wine, and marinara—nothing fancy, just bold, hearty flavor. If you have rigatoni or pappardelle on hand, that is even better because they really soak up all that sauce, but any sturdy pasta works. This dish leans into classic Italian flavors with a few shortcuts to make it weeknight-friendly. And if you have time, letting the sauce rest overnight takes the flavor to the next level. Let’s get into it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the meat sauce:
- 1 lb ground beef
- Olive oil
- 1 shallot, grated
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 glass red wine (about ¾ cup)
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock (plus more as needed
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
- Salt to taste
For serving:
- Pappardelle or rigatoni, cooked al dente
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
How to Make Ground Beef Pasta
- Brown the Beef
- Heat a large skillet over high heat.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned with crispy bits, about 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the Veggies
- In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium.
- Add olive oil, followed by the grated shallot, chopped carrot, and celery.
- Cook for 3–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden.
- Add Flavor Layers
- Lower the heat. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste.
- Return the browned beef to the pan.
- Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits if needed
- Simmer the Sauce
- Pour in the red wine.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and chicken stock.
- Add thyme and salt.
- Slow Cook It
- Add bay leaves and cover with a lid.
- Let it simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add more stock if the sauce thickens too much.
- Finish the Sauce
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Give the sauce a final stir and take it off the heat
- Mix and Serve
- In a separate pan, combine the pasta and sauce.
- Add grated parmesan and a splash of pasta water to loosen things up.
- Stir until the sauce hugs every noodle.
- Serve hot with more Parmesan and fresh basil on top.
Tips for Making the Best Ground Beef Pasta
Brown the beef until it’s deeply golden
Don’t rush this part. High heat brings out flavor by creating those tasty brown bits. You want the meat to look a little crispy in places before you pull it from the pan. This step builds a flavorful base for your sauce.
Use grated shallots instead of chopped onions
Grated shallots melt into the sauce and boost the savory flavor without overpowering the beef. They’re milder than onions and help balance out the acidity from the tomato paste and marinara.
Deglaze with water if needed
After cooking the garlic and tomato paste, there might be caramelized bits stuck to the pan. A quick splash of water lifts those flavors right into the sauce. It adds depth without extra ingredients.
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Let it simmer covered
This isn’t a sauce you want boiling. Low and slow helps the meat get tender and the sauce thicken naturally. Keeping the lid on locks in moisture, and the bay leaves infuse everything with a subtle, earthy flavor.
Add more chicken stock as it cooks
If the sauce starts sticking or looks too thick, add a splash of stock. It keeps everything smooth without diluting the flavor. I usually have the carton right next to me while it simmers.
Finish the pasta in the pan
This is what brings it all together. Don’t just dump sauce on pasta. Toss everything in a hot pan with a little pasta water and parmesan until it coats the noodles completely. It’s the difference between okay pasta and wow pasta.
Make the sauce ahead of time
The meat sauce actually tastes better the next day. If you’ve got the time, simmer it today and let it rest overnight in the fridge. The flavors deepen, and the texture gets richer—totally worth the wait.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Pasta
This pasta is rich and saucy, so you don’t need much on the side. But if you want to round it out, here are a few ideas:
- A crisp arugula salad with lemon dressing
- Garlic bread for scooping up extra sauce
- Steamed green beans or sautéed spinach
This ground beef pasta is one of those back-pocket recipes I always come back to. It’s simple, filling, and just hits the spot after a long day. Try it once and you’ll keep it in your weekly dinner rotation.
Ground Beef Pasta
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- 1 lb ground beef
- Olive oil
- 1 shallot grated
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 glass red wine about ¾ cup
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock (plus more as needed
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
- Salt to taste
For serving:
- Pappardelle or rigatoni cooked al dente
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Brown the Beef
- Heat a large skillet over high heat.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned with crispy bits, about 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Sauté the Veggies
- In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium.
- Add olive oil, followed by the grated shallot, chopped carrot, and celery.
- Cook for 3–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden.
Add Flavor Layers
- Lower the heat. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste.
- Return the browned beef to the pan.
- Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits if needed
Simmer the Sauce
- Pour in the red wine.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and chicken stock.
- Add thyme and salt.
Slow Cook It
- Add bay leaves and cover with a lid.
- Let it simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add more stock if the sauce thickens too much.
Finish the Sauce
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Give the sauce a final stir and take it off the heat
Mix and Serve
- In a separate pan, combine the pasta and sauce.
- Add grated parmesan and a splash of pasta water to loosen things up.
- Stir until the sauce hugs every noodle.
- Serve hot with more Parmesan and fresh basil on top.
