Creamy Parmesan Garlic Beef Bowtie Pasta
This one-pan wonder combines perfectly cooked bowtie pasta with savory ground beef in a rich, velvety Parmesan garlic sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it delivers restaurant-quality comfort food with minimal effort, making it an ideal weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large, deep skillet or Dutch oven
- Wooden Spoon
- Colander
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Box grater
- Liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 lb bowtie pasta farfalle
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the pan with the beef. Once melted, add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Pour the beef broth into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
- Gradually sprinkle in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the drained bowtie pasta to the skillet and toss gently until every piece is evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
For the smoothest sauce, always grate Parmesan from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-caking agents. The reserved pasta water is key for achieving a silky sauce that clings to the pasta. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk or broth to restore creaminess. For a vegetarian version, omit the beef and sauté 8 oz of sliced cremini mushrooms until golden. For a spicy kick, add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic.