Ground Beef Alfredo Pasta (One Pan)
In just 30 minutes, you can have a delicious Alfredo pasta with ground beef on the dinner table, with only one dish to clean. You only need a handful of ingredients, such as ground beef, precooked elbow macaroni, Italian seasoning, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and a few other pantry items.
I’ve been making this budget-friendly recipe for years, and it’s perfect for those picky eaters and busy nights.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Servings | Prep Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 25 minutes | 6 | Beginner + |
Julie’s Ingredient Notes
Using precooked elbow macaroni is the secret to making this a true one-pan meal with almost no effort. You can switch out a few of the ingredients with what you have on hand.
- Pasta Noodles – Using precooked macaroni is the secret to making a super-easy meal. Since the pasta is already cooked, you just stir it right into the sauce at the end. There’s no boiling a separate pot of water, no draining, and no extra dishes. I like macaroni because it’s small, and it holds onto that creamy sauce in every little curve. You can use any precooked pasta for this recipe, including penne, rotini, or shells.
- Ground beef – You can use ground beef, turkey, pork sausage, or chicken for this recipe.
- Parmesan cheese – I use the inexpensive cheese that you find on the pasta aisle, but you can also dress it up a bit with freshly shredded Parmesan.
Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
I love to serve this recipe with either frozen garlic bread or some cheesy homemade Mozzarella bread because it goes so well with pasta.
Step-By-Step Instructions
You only need one large skillet for this recipe because the ground beef, sauce, and noodles all come together right in the same pan.
Start by adding the ground beef to a large skillet. Then, add the Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and minced onion, and cook on low to medium heat until browned. Be sure to drain the grease when it’s brown.
Add the butter and cream cheese to the skillet and cook until melted. Adding the cream cheese before any liquid is crucial; if you add it after, it won’t melt well, and you’ll end up with lumps.
Bring the beef and cream cheese mixture to a gentle simmer – still on medium heat. You’ll see some small bubbles, but not a rolling boil. A hard boil can cause the cream cheese to break and turn grainy, and the butter to separate out and look greasy.
Keep stirring and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes. You will see it come together and coat the back of your spoon. That’s when you know it’s ready for the pasta. If the liquid is still too thin, let the whole thing sit on low heat for another minute or two after the pasta goes in. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce, and it’ll thicken right up.
Add the pasta and Parmesan cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pasta is heated through.
Storage And Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing because the cream cheese will separate when you thaw it, and it won’t have the same texture.
Reheating on the stovetop: Reheat it in a skillet over low heat. Because the dinner will thicken in the fridge, add a splash of milk or heavy cream to help thin it out a little.
Reheating in the Microwave: Add to a microwave-safe bowl, pour in a splash of milk, mix, and heat in 30-second intervals until hot.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can, but it tastes much better when it’s freshly made. You can cook the beef and cream sauce and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. When you are ready to eat, add it to a pan and cook it with the noodles.
Do I have to use precooked noodles?
No, you can cook the noodles at home. But cook them until they are al dente, drain the water, and then add them to the beef mixture.
How do I keep the Alfredo sauce from curdling?
Cook the sauce on low or medium, otherwise you might end up with curdled cheese. Cooking low and slow is the key.
Can I use store-bought jarred Alfredo sauce instead?
Definitely, you will just need to leave out the heavy cream, Parmesan, and cream cheese.
Ground Beef Alfredo Pasta (One Pot)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon minced onion
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2½ cups heavy cream add ½ cup more, if needed
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 16 ounces precooked elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet and cook on low to medium heat. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, minced onion, and minced garlic.
- Drain the grease.
- Add the butter and cream cheese and cook until melted.
- Next, add the heavy cream and cook for several minutes. There will be small bubbles, but NOT a rolling boil.
- Add the pasta and Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the pasta is warm and coated.
