Ingredients
To create this delicious dish, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 8 ounces of penne pasta
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
If you’re out of penne, feel free to substitute with any pasta you prefer. I’ve even used spaghetti once when that was all I had in my pantry, and it turned out delightful. Similarly, you can swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
Instructions
Follow these steps to bring this dish to life:
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, and let the sauce thicken slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat it evenly with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow the pasta to heat through, then garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Remember, cooking is as much about feeling as it is about following instructions. If the sauce feels too thick, a splash of pasta water can do wonders. That’s a trick I picked up from my travels in Italy, where pasta water is treated like liquid gold.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International