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Creamy Tomato and Ground Beef Orecchiette

A close-up of a white bowl filled with rich ground beef orecchiette pasta, beautifully lit by natural sunlight.
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Make this comforting, homestyle ground beef orecchiette pasta for a quick weeknight dinner. The cup shape of the orecchiette catches the simple, creamy meat sauce perfectly.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound orecchiette pasta
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain off any excess fat.
  2. Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the beef and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with juice) and tomato sauce. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the sauce cook for 10 minutes.
  5. While the sauce simmers, cook the orecchiette pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  6. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the meat sauce.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Mix well to coat the pasta. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
  8. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is heated through and creamy.
  9. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil if desired.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, substitute half of the ground beef with ground Italian sausage.
  • If you do not have heavy cream, you can use half-and-half, but the sauce will be slightly thinner.
  • This recipe works well as an easy Italian ground beef pasta bake; transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top with mozzarella, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until bubbly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://rosatasty.com/ground-beef-orecchiette-pasta-recipe/