Description
This creamy beef pasta is the ultimate weeknight comfort food—protein-packed, rich, and ready in under 40 minutes. Made with lean ground beef, penne pasta, and a lightened-up creamy sauce, it’s a family-friendly dinner you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
12 ounces penne pasta (or any short pasta)
1 pound lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7 recommended)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (room temperature to avoid curdling)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Cook penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 6–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in diced tomatoes (with juices) and beef broth. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced.
Lower heat to low. Stir in Greek yogurt and Parmesan until sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add cooked pasta into the sauce and toss until well-coated. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with reserved pasta water; if too thin, simmer an extra 1–2 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and serve warm with extra Parmesan.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese or a cornstarch slurry.
Swap beef for turkey, chicken, or sausage if preferred.
Add veggies like spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini during the simmer step.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 6g6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: creamy beef pasta, high protein pasta recipe, weeknight dinner, ground beef pasta