Delicious Homemade Ground Beef Pasta (Printable)
Hearty bowl of ground beef, pasta and vegetables in a rich tomato-beef broth—simple, warming weeknight fare.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 cup frozen peas
08 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
→ Pasta
09 - 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini
→ Liquids
10 - 6 cups beef broth
11 - 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Cheese (optional)
17 - Grated Parmesan, for serving
# Step-by-step:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until well browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Drain excess fat as needed.
02 - Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery to the pot. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
03 - Incorporate minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in the pasta shells or ditalini. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Add frozen peas and, if using, baby spinach in the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Continue to cook until both pasta and vegetables reach desired tenderness.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The blend of savory broth, tender veggies, and pasta feels like a warm hug on chilly nights.
- Leftovers taste even better, and it happily welcomes your variations—think extra veggies or whatever pasta you have left in the box.
02 -
- One time I dumped all the pasta in at once and left it too long—learn from me: check it early, because it gets mushy fast.
- Discovering that adding frozen peas at the end instead of the start keeps them vibrant and not sad and gray was a total game changer.
03 -
- Browning the beef deeply (but not burning) builds the first layer of flavor that makes the broth stand out.
- A good quality broth is the unsung hero—if yours tastes a bit flat, try a splash of Worcestershire or even a squeeze of lemon at the end.