Dinner Ideas Weekly
One Pot Pasta with Ground Beef in 45 Minutes
Spaghetti simmered directly in a beefy tomato sauce with carrots, red pepper and mushrooms. One pot, no colander, and dinner for 6 in 45 minutes.
This is spaghetti with meat sauce where the pasta cooks right in the sauce, so you get thick, beefy tomato sauce clinging to every strand and only one pot to wash. Carrots, red bell pepper and mushrooms go in with the beef, which bulks up the sauce and gets some vegetables into dinner without a separate side.
The method is simple. You brown the beef, soften the vegetables, then add crushed tomatoes and broth and simmer the dry spaghetti in that liquid. The starch the pasta releases thickens the sauce as it cooks, so you don't need cream or a long simmer. It takes about 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes on the stove, and it feeds 6.
Why this recipe works
The ratio is what makes it work. For 12 ounces of spaghetti you need about 6 cups of total liquid (a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes plus 3 1/2 cups of broth). That is enough to cook the pasta through, and as the pasta absorbs it and releases starch, it reduces to a sauce instead of soup. Less liquid leaves you with crunchy pasta stuck to the bottom of the pot. More gives you a watery sauce.
Broth matters more than you'd think. When pasta cooks in plain water it tastes like water. Cooked in beef broth and tomatoes, it takes on flavor from the inside.
Tomato paste also earns its spot. Frying 2 tablespoons in the beef fat for a minute, until it turns from bright red to brick red, gives the sauce the depth it would normally get from an hour of simmering.
Ingredient notes
Ground beef: 85% lean is the best balance. It has enough fat to brown well and flavor the sauce, so you won't need to drain it. With 80/20, spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat. With 90% lean, add an extra tablespoon of oil so the vegetables don't stick.
Pasta: use regular dried spaghetti, not thin spaghetti or angel hair, which turn soft before the sauce has thickened. Break it in half so it fits under the liquid in a 5- to 6-quart pot. Short pasta works too (see the substitutions).
Crushed tomatoes: these give a smooth sauce with a little texture. Tomato sauce makes a thinner, sweeter result, and diced tomatoes leave chunks and extra liquid.
Broth: use low-sodium beef broth so you control the salt. Parmesan and canned tomatoes both bring sodium, so taste before adding more salt at the end.
Vegetables: dice the carrots small, about 1/4 inch, so they're tender by the time the pasta is done. Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms have more flavor than white button mushrooms, but either is fine.
How to make one pot pasta with ground beef
Start with the beef in a hot pot and leave it alone for 3 to 4 minutes before you break it up. That contact with the pot is what browns it, and browning is where most of the flavor comes from. Cook it until no pink remains and it reads 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Add the onion, carrots, pepper and mushrooms to the beef fat. Cook them until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has mostly cooked off, about 6 minutes. Then add the garlic, tomato paste and dried herbs and stir for 1 minute.
Pour in the tomatoes and broth, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom, and bring everything to a boil. Add the spaghetti and push it under the liquid as it softens. Then turn the heat down to a steady simmer, cover, and stir every 2 to 3 minutes. Stirring is the one thing you can't skip. Spaghetti strands stick together and to the pot in the first few minutes.
It's done when the pasta is tender with a slight bite and the sauce coats it instead of pooling at the bottom. Stir in the Parmesan off the heat and let it sit 3 minutes, and the sauce will tighten up more.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
Pasta stuck to the bottom: the heat was too high or you didn't stir often enough. Keep it at a gentle simmer, with bubbles across the surface but not a hard boil. If it does stick, don't scrape the scorched layer into the sauce. Move the pasta to a clean pot.
Sauce too thin when the pasta is done: take the lid off and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring. Then let it rest off the heat, since it keeps thickening as it cools.
Pasta still firm but the pot is dry: add hot water or broth 1/4 cup at a time, cover, and cook 2 minutes more.
Mushy pasta: it overcooked. Start checking at 12 minutes, and remember that it keeps softening in the hot sauce after you take it off the heat.
Bland sauce: it almost always needs salt or acid. Add salt a pinch at a time, or 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar.
What to serve with one pot pasta with ground beef
A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the rich sauce. Caesar or simple romaine with red wine vinegar both work. Garlic bread is the classic, and you can make it on a sheet pan while the pasta simmers. For more vegetables, roasted broccoli at 425°F for 18 to 20 minutes is ready at about the same time as the pasta. Steamed green beans tossed with lemon also work.
Tips for success
- Set a timer for every 3 minutes once the spaghetti goes in. Regular stirring is what keeps one-pot pasta from sticking.
- Dice the carrots small. Bigger pieces will still be crunchy when the pasta is done.
- A heavy-bottomed pot spreads the heat evenly and is much less likely to scorch than a thin stockpot.
- Save the Parmesan rind and simmer it in the sauce with the pasta for more savory flavor. Remove it before serving.
Substitutions
- Ground turkey or chicken: use the same amount and add 1 extra tbsp oil. Cook it to 165°F. The sauce will taste lighter and a little less rich.
- Italian sausage: swap half or all of the beef and leave out the oregano and red pepper flakes, since the sausage is already seasoned.
- Short pasta (penne, rotini, rigatoni): use the same weight and liquid. It cooks in 10 to 13 minutes and sticks less than spaghetti.
- Gluten-free pasta: use a corn-rice blend, cut the broth to 3 cups, and start checking at 9 minutes. It turns soft quickly and doesn't reheat as well.
- Dairy-free: skip the Parmesan and stir in 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a savory, cheesy note.
- No mushrooms: add 1 more bell pepper or 1 diced zucchini. Add the zucchini with the garlic so it doesn't go mushy.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking and eat within 3 to 4 days. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce, so add a splash of water or broth when you reheat. Reheat in a covered pot over medium-low heat or in the microwave, stirring halfway, until it reaches 165°F. To freeze, cool completely and freeze in portions for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The pasta will be a bit softer after freezing.
Make ahead
Dice the onion, carrots, pepper and mushrooms up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them together in one container. You can also brown the beef and vegetables (through step 4) a day ahead and refrigerate. When you're ready, reheat in the pot, add the tomatoes and broth, and cook the pasta as written. The pasta itself is best cooked just before serving.
One Pot Pasta with Ground Beef in 45 Minutes
Spaghetti simmered directly in a beefy tomato sauce with carrots, red pepper and mushrooms. One pot, no colander, and dinner for 6 in 45 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins
- Total
- 45 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the ground beef, press it into an even layer, and cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is deep brown.
- Break up the beef and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. If you used 80/20 beef, spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
- Add the onion, carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the onion is soft and the liquid from the mushrooms has mostly cooked off.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens to brick red and the garlic smells fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the spaghetti, pressing it down into the liquid. Stir for the first minute as it softens so the strands separate and stay submerged.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers steadily. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring well every 2 to 3 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the pasta is tender with a slight bite.
- If the sauce is still loose, uncover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. If the pot looks dry before the pasta is done, add hot water 1/4 cup at a time.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Let it rest for 3 minutes so the sauce thickens, then taste and adjust the salt.
- Serve topped with shredded Parmesan or mozzarella.
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 840 mg
Nutrition values are estimates per serving and change with brands and portion sizes.
Dinner Ideas Weekly · https://dinnerideasweekly.com/blog/one-pot-pasta-with-ground-beef
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to drain the fat from the ground beef?
Not with 85% lean beef. The fat helps brown the vegetables and flavors the sauce. With 80/20 beef, spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon so the sauce isn't greasy.
Can I use frozen ground beef?
Thaw it first, in the fridge overnight or with the microwave defrost setting. Frozen beef steams instead of browning, and you lose most of the flavor. Cook it to 160°F either way.
How much liquid do you need for one pot pasta?
Plan on about 2 cups of total liquid per 4 ounces of dried pasta when that liquid includes crushed tomatoes. In this recipe that is a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes plus 3 1/2 cups of broth for 12 ounces of spaghetti.
Can you freeze one pot pasta with ground beef?
Yes, for 2 to 3 months in airtight containers. Thaw it in the fridge, add a splash of broth, and reheat to 165°F. The pasta will be softer than when freshly made but still good.
Why is my one pot pasta watery?
Usually the pasta hasn't had time to release enough starch, or the lid stayed on too long. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, then let it rest off the heat for 3 to 5 minutes, and it will thicken.