Pasta with Minced Beef and Cream
A creamy mince sauce is a good answer when you want something filling on a weeknight without much effort. Pasta with minced beef and cream is made in one deep frying pan while the pasta boils: the beef is browned with onion and garlic, simmered with beef stock, tomato puree and double cream, then tossed with the pasta and finished with parmesan. It serves four and takes 35 minutes.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 820kcal
Keeping pasta with minced beef and cream rich but not greasy
The sauce is only as good as the mince, so choose lean beef with 10% fat or less and brown it properly before adding anything wet. Spooning off the fat before the cream goes in keeps the sauce silky rather than oily. Tomato puree and oregano give the cream some depth, and the stock cube carries enough salt that the sauce needs no extra. The reserved pasta water helps the sauce cling to the pasta, so don't pour it all away. Parmesan is not vegetarian, and pecorino is an easy swap if you prefer it.
Preparing pasta with minced beef and cream
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Start the pasta water Fill a large saucepan with water, add the salt and bring it to the boil while you prepare the onion and garlic.
- Soften the onion Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for , stirring now and then, until soft and translucent.
- Brown the beef Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the mince and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for , until there is no pink left and it is browned in places. Spoon off any excess fat, then stir in the garlic and cook for .
- Cook the pasta Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for , or as the packet says, until just tender. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water, then drain.
- Make the sauce Stir the tomato puree and oregano into the beef for . Pour in the stock and the cream, add black pepper and simmer gently for , until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Combine Add the pasta to the pan and toss over a low heat for , loosening the sauce with a splash of the cooking water if needed. Stir in most of the parmesan and serve straight away with the rest sprinkled over the top.
Serving and variations
A green salad, peas or steamed broccoli on the side balances the richness. Pork mince works in place of beef, as in pasta with minced pork and cream. For something more tomato-led, make pasta with meat sauce instead.
Common problems and fixes for pasta with Minced Beef and Cream
- The sauce is greasy.
- Use mince with 10% fat or less and spoon off the fat after browning, before the cream goes in. Cream and beef fat together turn oily very quickly.
- The cream sauce splits.
- Simmer it gently rather than letting it boil hard, and use double cream, which holds up better than single or whipping cream.
- The mince is grey and watery.
- The pan was too crowded or too cool. Use a large pan on a medium-high heat, or brown the beef in two batches.
- The pasta turns sticky and the sauce too thick.
- Starch keeps absorbing the sauce while the dish sits. Loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water and serve at once.
Frequently asked questions about pasta with Minced Beef and Cream
How long does pasta with minced beef and cream take to make?
About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking, with the pasta boiling while the sauce simmers.
What can I use instead of double cream?
Stir in 200g full-fat crème fraîche off the heat at the end. Do not boil it, or it can split.
Which pasta works best?
Shapes that catch the sauce, such as penne, fusilli, rigatoni or conchiglie, work better than long strands.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Cool within 2 hours and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat once with a splash of milk or water until steaming hot all the way through. The cream sauce does not freeze well.
How did you like the recipe?
4.6 / 5 · 62 ratings
