Our creamy pasta with ground beef is the only beef pasta you need to try! Made with ground beef, tomato sauce, and cream it’s a one-pan dinner that is gluten-free.
Pasta dishes are a comfort food for kids and parents alike. Especially this creamy and cheesy pasta recipe with ground beef! Pair with any vegetable side dish then serve as a complete meal.
This creamy beef pasta, combined with rich heavy cream and cheesy cheddar, transforms into the ultimate pasta dish. A delightful twist on traditional Hamburger Helper, it’s a one-pan wonder, minimizing dish cleanup. Ideal for weekday or weekend dining, it pairs seamlessly with various veggie sides or stands alone. Additionally, it’s an excellent meal prep option, offering convenient reheating for kids’ after-school snacks or school lunch thermos meals. Enjoy the versatility and convenience of this recipe.
If on the search for more gluten free pasta recipes, we have you covered with No Boil Pasta Bake, Gluten Free Pasta Salad, Ground Chicken Pasta, and Baked Chicken Ziti Casserole.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 2 cups beef broth
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups gluten-free penne pasta
- 4 ounces heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
In a large skillet heat the olive oil then add the onions. Cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and the ground beef. Cook until the beef is cooked through.
Add the broth and spices
Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and add the dry pasta. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente.
Stir in cream and cheese
Add the heavy cream and the cheese. Gently stir until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pasta recipe can be served as is for a complete meal, but the addition of a side dish can make dinner even more flavorful.
For a vegetable side, consider any of these recipes:
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
- Roasted Frozen Broccoli
- Air Fry Green Beans
- Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
- Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Almonds
- How To Cook Frozen Vegetables
- Roasted Frozen Vegetables
In addition to the vegetables, turn slices of Gluten Free Artisan Bread into garlic bread or dip Gluten Free Dinner Rolls into the extra sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use a different shaped pasta like rigatoni, shells, bowtie, ziti or spaghetti.
- Add in vegetables such as frozen peas, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, broccoli florets or mushrooms.
- Swap beef for Italian sausage, ground turkey or chicken.
- Make vegetarian by using chopped portabella mushrooms instead of ground beef.
- Use whole milk, full fat coconut milk or half and half in place of the heavy cream while keeping in mind that these swaps could curdle if heated too quickly.
- Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of beef broth.
- Omit the dry mustard if desired. This is an ingredient that upgrades the flavor of the dish; however, if you don’t have on hand, it can be left out.
- Make extra cheesy by adding a layer of cheese to the top of the dish or on each individual plate once served.
Recipe Tips
- Use a different shaped pasta like rigatoni, shells, bowtie, ziti or spaghetti.
- Add in vegetables such as frozen peas, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, broccoli florets or mushrooms.
- Swap beef for Italian sausage, ground turkey or chicken.
- Make vegetarian by using chopped portabella mushrooms instead of ground beef.
- Use whole milk, full fat coconut milk or half and half in place of the heavy cream while keeping in mind that these swaps could curdle if heated too quickly.
- Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of beef broth.
- Omit the dry mustard if desired. This is an ingredient that upgrades the flavor of the dish; however, if you don’t have on hand, it can be left out.
- Make extra cheesy by adding a layer of cheese to the top of the dish or on each individual plate once served.
- Store in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Store in the freezer up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Since this recipe freezes well, you can make the dish in advance then store in the freezer in individual portions. This makes it super simple to thaw and reheat as needed.
Adjust the amount of salt and pepper. Everyone has a different preference for seasoning, which is why we encourage you to add more spices if needed. Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes can also be added for flavor.
You can pour in a few extra tablespoons of beef broth to thin the sauce if preferred.
Let the pasta simmer over low heat for a few extra minutes to thicken the sauce.
Storage Instructions
In the fridge: Store in a covered container up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Let cool completely then portion into small containers or Ziploc bags to freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen pasta overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Instructions
Microwave: Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot. It can be helpful to cover the microwave safe bowl with a damp paper towel to keep the microwave mess free.
Skillet: Leftovers can also be tossed back into a skillet and reheated over low heat to prevent the cream from curdling. You can add a splash or two of cream as the pasta reheats to keep creamy.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Milk will curdle or form clumps when heated too quickly, which is why we want to cook this recipe on low heat when the heavy cream is added.
- To brown ground beef, add to the skillet then carefully break up the meat into large chunks with a spatula. Let the chunks of beef cook for approximately 1 minute. Then, break the chunks into smaller pieces and let cook for approximately 1 minute. Repeat the process of alternating between breaking up the ground beef and cooking for 1 minute until the ground beef is no longer pink.
- Cooking pasta al dente means to cook pasta until it is cooked on the outside yet undercooked in the center. The pasta should have a “bite” to it.
More Dinner Ideas with Ground Beef
- Taco Dip with Ground Beef
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole
- Gluten-Free Ground Beef Recipes
- Easy Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Ground Beef and Bean Burrito
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Pasta With Ground Beef Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds ground beef ✅
- 2 cups beef broth ✅
- 8 ounces tomato sauce ✅
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ✅
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups gluten-free penne pasta
- 4 ounces heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ✅
Instructions
- ⭐️Brown the ground beef. In a large skillet heat the olive oil then add the onions. Cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and the ground beef. Cook until the beef is cooked through.1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, diced, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1.5 pounds ground beef
- ⭐️Add the broth and spices. Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and add the dry pasta. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente.2 cups beef broth, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 cups gluten-free penne pasta
- ⭐️Stir in cream and cheese. Add the heavy cream and the cheese. Gently stir until the cheese is melted. Server hot.4 ounces heavy cream, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Notes
- Use a different shaped pasta like rigatoni, shells, bowtie, ziti or spaghetti.
- Add in vegetables such as frozen peas, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, broccoli florets or mushrooms.
- Swap beef for Italian sausage, ground turkey or chicken.
- Make vegetarian by using chopped portabella mushrooms instead of ground beef.
- Use whole milk, full fat coconut milk or half and half in place of the heavy cream while keeping in mind that these swaps could curdle if heated too quickly.
- Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of beef broth.
- Omit the dry mustard if desired. This is an ingredient that upgrades the flavor of the dish; however, if you don’t have on hand, it can be left out.
- Make extra cheesy by adding a layer of cheese to the top of the dish or on each individual plate once served.
- Store in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Store in the freezer up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Denise says
My family and I love this recipe. Can’t wait to make it again.