Creamy Parmesan Beef Rigatoni Recipe

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Creamy Parmesan Beef Rigatoni—easy one-pot pasta with rich parmesan cream sauce, savory beef, and herbs. Ready in 35 minutes! Perfect for weeknight dinners. 🧀🍝

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Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Calories per serving: ~650
Servings: 4 (Double ingredients for 8 servings)

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Ingredients

• 12 oz (340g) rigatoni pasta 🍝
• 1 lb (450g) ground beef (85% lean)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced 🧅
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 🍅
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 🧀
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 🌶️
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped 🌿
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• For serving: Extra parmesan, parsley

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Instructions

1. Cook the pasta 🔪
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (about 12 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. Brown the beef 🍳
   Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned (5–6 minutes). Drain excess grease, leaving 1 tbsp for flavor.
3. Sauté aromatics
   Add diced onion to the beef. Cook 3 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Create the sauce 🥣
   Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in heavy cream and ¾ cup parmesan, stirring gently. Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened (don’t boil—this can split the cream!).
5. Combine pasta & sauce
   Add drained rigatoni to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water 2 tbsp at a time until sauce clings to pasta (use ¼–½ cup total).
6. Finish & serve 🍽️
   Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Serve immediately with extra parmesan and parsley on top!

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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 650 | Fat: 32g | Carbs: 58g | Protein: 35g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g

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