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Creamy Beef Rigatoni

Rich, tender ground beef mingles with perfectly cooked pasta tubes in a velvety sauce that hugs every ridge. A comforting dish that brings everyone to the dinner table.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 12 oz rigatoni pasta
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until beautifully browned, about 6-7 minutes.
  3. Push beef to one side of the pan. Add diced onion to the empty space and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Pour in diced tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Reduce heat to low and slowly stir in heavy cream. Add the cooked rigatoni, tossing gently to coat. If sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water.
  6. Remove from heat and fold in mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Start pasta water boiling first. Don't add cream on high heat as it can curdle - remove from heat first. Don't overcook pasta as it continues cooking in sauce. Don't skip browning the beef properly for flavor. Budget-friendly swaps: ground turkey instead of beef, milk with flour instead of heavy cream, penne instead of rigatoni. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days, reheat with milk or broth. Doesn't freeze well due to cream sauce.