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Creamy Garlic Butter Beef Pasta

Creamy garlic butter beef pasta with a silky garlic Parmesan cream sauce and tender penne. One-pan cooking with browned ground beef, a quick roux, and simmered broth-cream for a thick, glossy coating.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
penne pasta
  • 12 oz penne pasta
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
onion
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
paprika
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Boil penne pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
Brown the beef
  1. In a large skillet, cook lean ground beef over medium-high heat until browned, then drain excess grease.
Build the garlic butter roux
  1. Add butter, onion, and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Sprinkle in all-purpose flour and stir for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Make the creamy Parmesan sauce
  1. Gradually whisk in beef broth and heavy cream until smooth.
  2. Stir in Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
  4. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce turns glossy.
Toss and serve
  1. Add the cooked penne pasta and toss until fully coated in the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.
  2. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, whisk the beef broth and heavy cream in slowly so no lumps form; the simmering step is what helps it thicken. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or cream to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use half-and-half or a lower-fat cream option for a lighter sauce (simmer slightly longer if needed to thicken).