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Beef Pasta in Creamy Garlic Sauce

Beef pasta in creamy garlic sauce with browned ground beef and a silky roasted-garlic cream finish. Pasta is tossed in one skillet until thick, glossy, and coated, then topped with melted parmesan and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 950
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef Pasta in Creamy Garlic Sauce
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 6 garlic minced
  • 2 cup pasta pappardelle, penne, or rigatoni, cooked
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.75 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain the fat and set the beef aside.
Build the garlic cream base
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Keep it moving so the garlic doesn’t brown too quickly.
Simmer and thicken the sauce
  1. Pour in dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan for extra flavor.
Add dairy and seasonings
  1. Add heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat so the sauce stays silky, not boiling.
Melt in parmesan
  1. Stir in parmesan until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. If needed, simmer briefly longer to reach a glossy coating consistency.
Combine and serve
  1. Return the beef to the pan and add the cooked pasta, tossing to coat. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For best sauce cling, use pasta cooked to just-done (still slightly firm) so it finishes in the skillet without turning mushy. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream can separate. For a lighter version, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (or a cooking cream) and expect a slightly thinner sauce.