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Delicious creamy penne pasta with mushrooms and parsley on a rustic table setting.

Creamy Ground Beef & Mushroom Pasta Recipe

The ultimate easy dinner! This one-skillet Creamy Ground Beef & Mushroom Pasta features a velvety cream cheese sauce and is ready in 30 minutes. A hearty, family-friendly comfort food recipe.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: beef, Main Course, One Pot Meals, Pasta
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces pasta fettuccine or penne works well in this recipe.
  • salt for cooking the pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
  • seasonings: salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to taste
  • 12 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms canned can substitute in a pinch
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil to cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water.
  2. While pasta cooks, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking apart the beef, until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and optional seasonings.
  4. Push the meat and onions around the outside of the skillet and add the mushrooms in the hot center, cooking until they have released their moisture—about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir the meat and vegetables together well, then stir in the broth. Heat to simmer, about 2 minutes.
  6. Add the low-fat cream cheese and blend in well.
  7. Finally, toss in the drained pasta, mixing it thoroughly with the beef mixture.

Notes

Pasta Water is Gold: Don’t forget to reserve that pasta water! If your sauce thickens a bit too much upon adding the pasta, a splash of the starchy cooking water is the perfect trick to loosen it up and help the sauce cling even better.
Mushroom Note: While fresh mushrooms are ideal for the best texture and browning, a well-drained can of mushrooms can work in a pinch for a super-speedy version.