Description
A simple, satisfying weeknight pasta dish that’s creamy without heavy cream, ready in under 30 minutes, and packed with protein.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7 recommended)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can tomatoes with juices (14.5 oz) — crushed or diced
- 1 handful fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 8 oz penne pasta (or rigatoni/fusilli)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente (9–11 minutes). Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Crumble in the ground beef and brown until no pink remains, about 5–7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes with juices and the beef broth. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 6–8 minutes to concentrate flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt and grated Parmesan until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Heat gently for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.
- Finish with chopped basil or parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve hot.
Notes
If you prefer a saucier pasta, increase beef broth to 1 ¼ cups. Remember to reserve some pasta water for adjusting sauce consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: pasta, beef, high-protein, weeknight dinner, quick meal