Cheesy Penne With Garlic Butter Ground Beef Recipe

I paired silky, cheesy penne with savory garlic butter ground beef to create a quick, craveable weeknight dinner I call Cheesy Penne.

Im always chasing the kind of dinner that looks like it took all day but comes together fast, and this dish does just that. Perfectly cooked penne pasta wrapped in a velvety sauce with juicy seasoned ground beef makes you wonder why weeknights ever got complicated.

It hits familiar comfort notes but with a little twist so you actually want seconds. I toss this into the rotation when Im planning Easy Meals For Meal Prep or searching for Dinners Ground Beef that wont disappoint.

Honestly its a little messy, totally craveable, and the kind of meal you keep making over and over.

Ingredients

• Penne pasta: simple carbs, fills you up and soaks up cheesy sauce well
• Ground beef: big protein source, adds savory fat and deep beefy flavor, not light
• Butter and olive oil: give richness, mouthfeel and help brown meat for flavor
• Garlic: pungent aromatic, boosts savory depth, tiny health perks like immunity support
• Cream cheese and heavy cream: make sauce silky, add calories yes but creamy comfort
• Sharp cheddar and Parmesan: melty and salty cheeses, protein and calcium, big flavor punch
• Parsley: fresh herb top note, brightens richness and adds a little vitamin K

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 oz penne pasta
• 1 lb ground beef 80/20 works best
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

How to Make this

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 oz penne until just shy of al dente according to package directions, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of the melted butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 lb ground beef and break it up; season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp Italian seasoning and brown until no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Push beef to one side, add the remaining 2 tbsp melted butter to the empty side, add 1 small finely chopped yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes, then stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds till fragrant.

4. Sprinkle in 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup beef broth scraping up brown bits, then stir everything together so flavors blend.

5. Lower heat to medium low and add 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half) and 4 oz softened cream cheese, whisk or stir until smooth and slightly thickened.

6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan a handful at a time until melted, add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes if you want heat, taste and adjust salt to 1 to 1 1/2 tsp total.

7. Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss to coat; if sauce seems too thick add reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach a creamy consistency you like.

8. Let everything simmer together 1 to 2 minutes so pasta absorbs sauce, give it a final taste and correct seasoning if needed.

9. Turn off heat, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, serve hot and if you like extra cheese sprinkle more Parmesan on top.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for boiling the pasta
2. Colander to drain and rinse the penne
3. Large skillet (12-inch is great) for browning beef and making the sauce
4. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up the meat and stir
5. Tongs or a pasta fork to toss the pasta in the sauce
6. Measuring cups and spoons for liquids and seasonings
7. Whisk to smooth the cream cheese into the cream
8. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for the onion and parsley
9. Box grater or microplane for grating Parmesan

FAQ

Cheesy Penne With Garlic Butter Ground Beef Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground beef: ground turkey or chicken (leaner, add a little oil while cooking), Italian or breakfast sausage (more flavor, a bit spicier), plant-based crumbles (vegan option, brown and season well)
• Heavy cream or half and half: whole milk plus 2 tbsp melted butter per cup to mimic richness, evaporated milk (lighter but creamy), full-fat canned coconut milk (dairy-free, slightly sweet)
• Cream cheese: mascarpone (closest in texture and richness), ricotta blended smooth (lighter, slightly grainy if not blended), plain Greek yogurt strained (tangy and lower fat)
• Sharp cheddar: Colby Jack or Monterey Jack (milder, melts nicely), mozzarella or fontina (super creamy melt), aged Gouda or Gruyere (richer, nutty flavor)

Pro Tips

– Brown the beef hard so you get those dark bits, they add flavor. Push the meat to the side and cook the onions in the fat so they pick up that beefy goodness, but watch the heat or the garlic will burn and turn bitter.

– Soften the cream cheese first, or cube it and let it sit at room temp, otherwise you’ll end up with little lumps. Add cheeses off or on very low heat and stir slowly, and always grate your own cheddar and parm when you can because pre-shredded has stuff in it that makes sauces grainy.

– Keep and use the pasta water, its starchy and will help the sauce cling and smooth out any thickness, add it a tablespoon at a time till the texture feels right. If the sauce looks greasy, a tiny splash of acid like lemon juice or a tsp of vinegar brightens everything and cuts the fattiness.

– Finish off the heat for a minute so the pasta soaks up the sauce, taste for salt at the end (cheeses add a lot) and sprinkle fresh parsley right before serving. Leftovers reheat best with a splash of milk or cream so it doesn’t dry out.