Ground Beef Pasta Recipes solve a specific problem: you need dinner on the table in under 40 minutes with one skillet and no specialty shopping. This version browns 1.5 pounds of 85/15 beef, builds a tomato-garlic sauce in the same pan, and finishes 12 ounces of penne directly in the liquid so the starch thickens everything without a roux.
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The numbers matter here. Total time is 50 minutes (15 prep, 35 cook), yield is 6 servings at roughly 1.5 cups each, and the per-serving cost lands near $2.10 using standard grocery pricing. Compare that to a jarred-sauce shortcut: you save about 8 minutes but lose control of sodium, which typically jumps from 480 mg to 900+ mg per serving.
Two decisions drive the outcome. First, fat ratio: 85/15 gives enough rendered fat to bloom the tomato paste, while 93/7 needs an extra tablespoon of oil. Second, pasta-to-liquid ratio: 12 ounces of pasta needs 3.5 cups of liquid for a saucy-but-not-soupy finish. Get those two right and this recipe is repeatable every week.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1.5 lb (680 g) ground beef, 85/15 lean-to-fat
85/15 renders enough fat to brown properly without draining. If you only have 93/7, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil before browning, and if you have 80/20, drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat after browning.
12 oz (340 g) dried penne or rigatoni
Short tubular shapes trap the meat sauce; rigatoni holds more, penne cooks faster. Avoid thin spaghetti here, as it overcooks in the 9-to-11 minute window.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 160 g)
Yellow onion gives sweeter depth than red. In a pinch, 1 cup of frozen diced onion works with no thawing, just add 1 extra minute of saute time.
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 tsp / 12 g)
Fresh garlic beats jarred paste by a wide margin on aroma. If using jarred, use 2 teaspoons and add it after the tomatoes so it does not scorch.
3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste
Tomato paste is the umami engine; the double-concentrate tubes are stronger than canned. Fry it until it darkens to brick red, roughly 60 to 90 seconds, or the sauce tastes flat.
1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
Crushed tomatoes give body without blending. San Marzano-style cans are less acidic; if yours tastes sharp, add 1/2 teaspoon sugar at the end.
3.5 cups (830 ml) low-sodium beef broth
Low-sodium lets you control salt; regular broth can push the dish past 900 mg sodium per serving. Water plus 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon is a solid substitute.
1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
This is the baseline seasoning block. Swap oregano for 1 teaspoon dried basil if you prefer a sweeter profile, and cut the flakes to 1/8 teaspoon for kids.
1 cup (100 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, plus 1/3 cup (33 g) grated Parmesan
Low-moisture mozzarella melts without weeping water into the sauce. Pre-shredded works but contains anti-caking starch, so grate a block if you have 2 extra minutes.
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Parsley adds a clean finish against the beef fat. Basil is the best substitute; add it off the heat so it stays green.
Tips & Tricks
Do Not Drain Unless You Must
With 85/15 beef, leave 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the pan because that fat carries the garlic and tomato paste flavor. Only drain if you used 80/20 or fattier.
Salt the Pasta Water Is Wrong Here
Because the pasta cooks in the sauce, you salt the sauce, not a separate pot. Add the full 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the broth, then taste before serving.
Watch the Reduction, Not the Clock
The sauce is done when a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a trail that holds for 2 seconds. That usually happens at 14 to 16 minutes of simmering, but pan width changes it.
- Stir Every 2 Minutes During the Pasta Stage: Pasta cooked in a shallow skillet sticks within 90 seconds of sitting still. Stir at 2-minute intervals and scrape the bottom corners with a wooden spoon.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Brown the beef
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates in 1 second, about 3 minutes. Add the beef in one flat layer and cook 4 minutes without stirring, then break it up and cook 4 more minutes until no pink remains and the edges are deeply browned. Internal temperature should read 160F (71C).
2. Soften onion and garlic
Push the beef to the pan edges and add the onion to the center fat. Cook 4 minutes at medium heat until translucent and glossy, then stir in the garlic for 45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
3. Fry the tomato paste
Stir the tomato paste into the beef and onion mixture and fry 90 seconds at medium heat. It is ready when it darkens from bright red to brick red and smells sweet rather than metallic.
4. Build the sauce
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to scrape up every browned bit on the pan bottom, then bring to a strong simmer at medium-high, about 5 minutes, until bubbles break steadily across the surface.
5. Add the pasta
Stir in the dry penne and press it under the liquid. Return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low so the surface bubbles gently but never boils hard. Cook 11 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and scraping the corners.
6. Check doneness and thickness
At 11 minutes, bite a piece of pasta: it should be tender with a faint firm core, and the sauce should hold a 2-second trail behind a spoon. If the pasta is still chalky, add 1/4 cup broth and simmer 2 more minutes.
7. Melt the cheese
Scatter the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, cover the skillet, and cook 3 minutes at low heat until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the sauce bubble. Uncover and rest 5 minutes off heat.
8. Finish and serve
Sprinkle the parsley over the top, taste for salt, and serve straight from the skillet in about 1.5-cup portions. Leftover sauce tightens overnight, so loosen with 2 tablespoons of broth when reheating.
Delicious Variations
Creamy Tomato Version
Stir 1/2 cup heavy cream or 4 ounces cream cheese into the sauce after the pasta finishes, then add the cheese. Adds roughly 90 calories per serving but cuts the acidity noticeably.
Spicy Arrabbiata Style
Double the red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1 tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste with the tomato paste. Pair with rigatoni because the ridges hold the hotter sauce.
Mushroom-Beef Blend
Replace 8 ounces of the beef with 8 ounces of finely chopped cremini mushrooms added with the onion. Cuts about 55 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving with minimal flavor loss.
How to Store Ground Beef Pasta Recipes
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container up to 4 days. The pasta absorbs sauce as it sits, so reheat with 2 tablespoons of broth per serving.
Freezer
Freeze up to 3 months in 1.5-cup portions. Freeze before adding the cheese for the best texture, then top with fresh mozzarella when reheating.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes with 2 tablespoons of broth, or microwave covered at 70 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make ground beef pasta in one pan without boiling the pasta separately?
Yes, and this recipe is built that way: 12 ounces of dry penne cooks directly in 3.5 cups of sauce liquid in 11 to 13 minutes. The released starch thickens the sauce, so you get a clingier result than draining pasta in a colander. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir every 2 minutes or the pasta will stick.
Q: How do I keep the ground beef from turning out dry and rubbery?
Use 85/15 beef and stop cooking it the moment no pink remains, which is about 8 minutes total at medium-high heat. Leaner 93/7 beef overcooks fast because it has little fat to buffer the heat, so add 1 tablespoon of oil and cut the browning time by 2 minutes. Breaking the meat into very small crumbles also dries it out faster than leaving larger chunks.
Q: What pasta shape works best for ground beef pasta?
Rigatoni and penne are the best picks because their tubes and ridges trap the meat sauce. Rigatoni holds the most sauce but needs 13 to 14 minutes in the skillet, while penne finishes in 11. Avoid angel hair and thin spaghetti, which turn to mush in a 12-minute simmer.
Q: Can I use jarred marinara instead of crushed tomatoes and broth?
You can, but you must adjust the liquid: use 1 jar (24 ounces) of marinara plus 2 cups of broth instead of 28 ounces crushed tomatoes plus 3.5 cups broth. Jarred sauce is already seasoned and salted, so cut the kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon and skip the oregano. Expect a slightly sweeter, less meat-forward result.
Q: How many calories are in a serving of this ground beef pasta?
One serving of this recipe, about 1.5 cups with cheese, comes to roughly 285 calories with 26 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbs, and 12 grams of fat. That assumes 85/15 beef, low-sodium broth, and part-skim mozzarella; switching to 80/20 beef adds about 40 calories per serving, and adding 1/2 cup of cream adds about 90.
Make it once with the 85/15 beef and the 11-minute pasta window, then write down your own numbers for pan width and stove strength. Those two variables are the only ones that change the result. Stay sharp.
Ground Beef Pasta Recipes
Ground Beef Pasta Recipes deliver a rich, meaty one-pan dinner in 35 minutes with 285 calories per serving and pantry ingredients you already own.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1.5 lb (680 g) ground beef, 85/15 lean-to-fat
- 12 oz (340 g) dried penne or rigatoni
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 160 g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 tsp / 12 g)
- 3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
- 3.5 cups (830 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, plus 1/3 cup (33 g) grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
📋 Instructions
- 1Brown the beef — Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates in 1 second, about 3 minutes. Add the beef in one flat layer and cook 4 minutes without stirring, then break it up and cook 4 more minutes until no pink remains and the edges are deeply browned. Internal temperature should read 160F (71C).
- 2Soften onion and garlic — Push the beef to the pan edges and add the onion to the center fat. Cook 4 minutes at medium heat until translucent and glossy, then stir in the garlic for 45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- 3Fry the tomato paste — Stir the tomato paste into the beef and onion mixture and fry 90 seconds at medium heat. It is ready when it darkens from bright red to brick red and smells sweet rather than metallic.
- 4Build the sauce — Pour in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to scrape up every browned bit on the pan bottom, then bring to a strong simmer at medium-high, about 5 minutes, until bubbles break steadily across the surface.
- 5Add the pasta — Stir in the dry penne and press it under the liquid. Return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low so the surface bubbles gently but never boils hard. Cook 11 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and scraping the corners.
- 6Check doneness and thickness — At 11 minutes, bite a piece of pasta: it should be tender with a faint firm core, and the sauce should hold a 2-second trail behind a spoon. If the pasta is still chalky, add 1/4 cup broth and simmer 2 more minutes.
- 7Melt the cheese — Scatter the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, cover the skillet, and cook 3 minutes at low heat until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the sauce bubble. Uncover and rest 5 minutes off heat.
- 8Finish and serve — Sprinkle the parsley over the top, taste for salt, and serve straight from the skillet in about 1.5-cup portions. Leftover sauce tightens overnight, so loosen with 2 tablespoons of broth when reheating.
Liam covers personal finance for young professionals, with a no-nonsense approach to budgeting and investing. He shares strategies he's tested while paying off his own student loans.
