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Italian ground beef pasta recipe card with spaghetti, tomato meat sauce, parmesan, fresh basil, and fork in a white bowl
Meal Nimble

Easy Italian Ground Beef Pasta

This easy Italian ground beef pasta is a simple, comforting 30-minute weeknight dinner made with browned ground beef, garlic, onion, crushed tomatoes, pasta, herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 900
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend works best)
  • 1 pound pasta (spaghetti, penne, or whatever you have on hand)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Splash of pasta water

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Large skillet
  • wooden spoon
  • knife
  • Cutting board
  • colander
  • Measuring spoons
  • measuring cup

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta so it can cook while the sauce comes together.
  2. While the water heats, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Let it sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes so it browns, then break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until mostly browned, about 5-7 minutes total.
  4. Pour off about half of the rendered fat, leaving the rest in the skillet for flavor.
  5. Add the diced onion to the browned beef and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
  6. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  7. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it with the meat and aromatics for about 2 minutes to deepen the tomato flavor.
  8. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Stir well.
  9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is finished cooking.
  10. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  11. Add a splash of reserved pasta water to the sauce, then toss the pasta with the sauce until evenly coated and silky.
  12. Stir in the fresh basil, taste and adjust with salt and black pepper, then finish with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

Save a splash of starchy pasta water before draining and stir it into the sauce at the end to help it cling to the pasta. Let the ground beef brown undisturbed before breaking it up for deeper flavor. For variations, add spinach, mushrooms, red bell pepper, red wine, Italian sausage, extra red pepper flakes, oregano, or thyme. Store sauce and pasta separately when meal prepping. Leftover sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.