Italian pasta water contains 2% starch—the exact percentage needed to bind cream sauces without separating or curdling.
Creamy Pasta with Ground Meat
Indulge in this delightful creamy pasta that comes together in just 20 minutes! Featuring savory ground meat and luscious cream, this dish is a weeknight winner that’s both satisfying and simple. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it’s sure to become a family favorite!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 onion
- Parsley
- Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Liquid cream
- Mozzarella, grated
📦Other(1)
- 300 g of ground meat (0.66 lbs)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and diced onion. Cook for a few minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, boil water with salt and a bit of oil for the pasta. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for a few minutes.
- 3
Add ground meat to the skillet with the onions and mix well. Once cooked, add a mix of spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a cube of seasoning. Mix well.
- 4
Add a large tablespoon of tomato paste and mix. You can add a little bit of water if needed.
- 5
Add liquid cream and mix everything together. Let the sauce thicken for a few minutes.
- 6
Add chopped parsley.
- 7
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Mix well.
- 8
Let it cook for a few minutes and then add a large handful of grated mozzarella. Optionally, add some parmesan for extra flavor.
- 9
Garnish with a bit more parsley and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown your ground meat at 400°F+ surface temperature without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper, more complex flavors.technique400°F+ surface temp, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Cook tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens and becomes fragrant to concentrate sugars and eliminate raw metallic taste through caramelization.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind cream sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Add cream off heat or at lowest setting because temperatures above 180°F cause proteins to curdle and break the emulsion.timing180°F maximum
- ✓Finish pasta 2-3 minutes under package time and complete cooking in the sauce so starches release and create a cohesive dish rather than sauce sitting on top of pasta.timing2-3 minutes under
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian pasta water contains 2% starch—the exact percentage needed to bind cream sauces without separating or curdling.
Creamy Pasta with Ground Meat
Indulge in this delightful creamy pasta that comes together in just 20 minutes! Featuring savory ground meat and luscious cream, this dish is a weeknight winner that’s both satisfying and simple. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it’s sure to become a family favorite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 onion
- Parsley
- Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Liquid cream
- Mozzarella, grated
📦Other(1)
- 300 g of ground meat (0.66 lbs)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and diced onion. Cook for a few minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, boil water with salt and a bit of oil for the pasta. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for a few minutes.
- 3
Add ground meat to the skillet with the onions and mix well. Once cooked, add a mix of spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a cube of seasoning. Mix well.
- 4
Add a large tablespoon of tomato paste and mix. You can add a little bit of water if needed.
- 5
Add liquid cream and mix everything together. Let the sauce thicken for a few minutes.
- 6
Add chopped parsley.
- 7
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Mix well.
- 8
Let it cook for a few minutes and then add a large handful of grated mozzarella. Optionally, add some parmesan for extra flavor.
- 9
Garnish with a bit more parsley and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown your ground meat at 400°F+ surface temperature without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deeper, more complex flavors.technique400°F+ surface temp, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Cook tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens and becomes fragrant to concentrate sugars and eliminate raw metallic taste through caramelization.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind cream sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Add cream off heat or at lowest setting because temperatures above 180°F cause proteins to curdle and break the emulsion.timing180°F maximum
- ✓Finish pasta 2-3 minutes under package time and complete cooking in the sauce so starches release and create a cohesive dish rather than sauce sitting on top of pasta.timing2-3 minutes under