Ground Beef Pasta
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
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.