Description
A quick and satisfying pasta dish featuring bowtie pasta tossed in a creamy Cajun sauce with spiced ground beef.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
- 1/2–3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1–2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil (or neutral oil)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Crumble in the ground beef. Cook, stirring and breaking it apart, until fully browned, about 6–8 minutes.
- Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the beef and stir for 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cream cheese and heavy cream to the skillet. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Mix the cooked pasta into the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan until melted and the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
For a lighter sauce, substitute heavy cream with milk. Ground turkey or plant-based alternatives can be used for a leaner option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: Cajun pasta, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, bowtie pasta