Description
A creamy, satisfying high-protein beef pasta made with lean ground beef, tender penne, and a rich yogurt-cheese sauce. This quick stovetop dinner is ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for weeknight meals or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 225 g penne pasta
- 450 g lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or cottage cheese)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or mozzarella)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente.
2. Drain the pasta and reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Push the beef to one side of the pan and add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
6. Pour in the beef broth and stir everything together. Let the mixture simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Greek yogurt and shredded cheese until the sauce becomes creamy and smooth.
8. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
9. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy sauce.
10. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest sauce and to reduce the risk of curdling.
Reserved pasta water helps the sauce become silky and cling better to the pasta.
For extra richness, sprinkle additional shredded cheese over the pasta before serving.
This dish stores well in the refrigerator for meal prep and reheats nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg