Pesto Beef Pasta

• servings: 5 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

12 ounces pasta (such as rigatoni, or any small shaped pasta)

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

1 pound ground beef

1 cup heavy cream

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)

¼ cup pine nuts

½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

1 clove garlic

¼ cup olive oil (more if needed)

salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

Make the pesto:

Make the pesto by blending the fresh basil, pine nuts, grated Parmesan, and garlic in a food processor. As it runs, slowly drizzle in olive oil until you get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set the pesto aside.

Cook the Pasta:

Cook your pasta in salted water until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside for later. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

Sauté the Onion and Garlic:

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Brown the Beef:

Next, add the ground beef and cook it until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and red pepper flakes:

Once browned, stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Let the mixture cook for another 2 minutes to blend the flavors.

Add the Cream and Pesto:

Pour in the heavy cream and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken slightly. Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the fresh pesto and mix everything well. Add some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Toss with Pasta:

Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet, ensuring it's fully coated with the creamy, spicy pesto beef sauce.

Serve:

Serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

• Calories: 770 kcal
• Total Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 18 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg
• Sodium: 266 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 57 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 34 g