Ground Beef Pasta

This ground beef pasta recipe is really simple to make, super affordable, and delicious. The ground beef and mushroom is a great combination. The sauce is creamy and flavourful. It only takes 20 mins to make and under $20.

Should You Drain The Ground Beef for Ground Beef Pasta?

This recipe only contains a small portion of ground meat, so I do not drain the ground beef juice after it is cooked. It adds the flavour to the dish, especially when combining with mushrooms. I personally love a bigger portion of vegetables and a smaller portion meat for this dish. However, If you are using the entire package of ground beef, you might want to drain some of the grease off before the next cooking step. You still want to keep some of the juice for the flavour. A easier way is to lay a kitchen paper towel on top of the cooked ground beef for a few seconds, it will absorb most of the grease, then remove it from the pan.

Do You Season Ground Beef Before Cooking for Ground Beef Pasta?

No, I season the ground beef while cooking. Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper all goes well with beef. Sometimes I also add a little bit cumin powder.

Ingredients: 

Ground Beef: 3/4 cup
Dry Pasta: 1 1/2 cup
Parmesan Cheese: 1/4 cup
Mushroom: 1.5 lb (about 2 1/2 cup chopped)
Onion: Half (about 1/2 cup chopped)
Cream: 1/2 cup
Oil: 2 tbsp
Vodka: 1 tbsp (optional)
All Purpose Flour: 1 tbsp
Parsley: 1 tbsp finely chopped
Thyme: 1 tsp
Paprika: 1 tsp
Onion Powder: 2 tsp
Seasoning Salt: 1 tsp
Salt: Pinch
Pepper: Pinch

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Serving: 2

Instruction: 

1. Finely chop half an onion.
2. Boil water in a pot to cook the pasta.
3. Clean and cut the mushroom into small pieces.
4. Boil the pasta with a little bit salt as per packing instruction.
5. Heat the pan in medium high, then put in oil.
6. Place the chopped onion into the pan, cook for a half to one minutes until the onions getting soften.
7. Add ground beef in the pan, then break it into smaller pieces, or chunks if you prefer a bigger size meat in the pasta dish. Add vodka, and cook for 30 seconds. Vodka is optional.
8. Then add onion powder, paprika, and seasoning salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the ground beef changes colour.
9. Then add mushroom and cook another 2-3 mins. Stir well.
10.  Add thyme, and flour to thicken the sauce.
11. Then add cream and mix well.
12. Then add drained pasta with 2 tbsp pasta water. Cook until the sauce is thicken as desired. Add salt and pepper to adjust the taste if needed.
13. Place the pasta in a dish, and sprinkle finely chopped parsley and parmesan, then ready to serve.

Tips:

• To avoid over cook the ground beef, once the beef is changing the colour, add mushroom in the pan right away.
• For a tender beef texture, add a little bit cornstarch to the ground meat. It is a great meat tenderizer.
• Vodka is optional, and can be replaced by other type of alcohol. It evaporates during the cooking process.