Go Back
One Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta

One Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta

This One Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta is the ultimate weeknight hero—hearty, creamy, and ready in under 30 minutes. Tender pasta, juicy ground beef, and a velvety tomato-cream sauce all cook together in one pot, delivering maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, LUNCH, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Flavor Base
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
For the Meat & Seasoning
  • 500 g ground beef or beef mince
  • 2 tsp Italian herb blend oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for gentle heat
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or cooking salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
For the Pasta & Creaminess
  • 350 g short pasta fusilli, penne, or macaroni
  • 3/4 cup thickened cream heavy cream

Method
 

  1. Build the flavor base: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic and onion for 1–2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  2. Brown the beef: Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until no pink remains. Stir in Italian herbs, cook briefly, then mix in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add liquids & pasta: Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add pasta and stir well.
  4. Simmer until tender: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.
  5. Make it creamy: Stir in cream and simmer 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats pasta.
  6. Serve & enjoy: Ladle into bowls, garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

Use short pasta shapes for best results—long pasta like spaghetti doesn’t work well here. For a lighter version, swap cream with half-and-half or evaporated milk. Add a splash of red wine when browning beef for extra richness. To make gluten-free, simply use gluten-free pasta.