This post may contain affiliate links.
This cheesy honey BBQ beef pasta is pure comfort and ready in just 30 minutes! Ground beef, smoky tomato sauce, and pasta tossed with plenty of cheddar. Simple, hearty, and full of flavor! A dinner the whole family will love.
Craving more easy, crowd-pleasing dinners? Try my One-pot cheeseburger orzo, Hoisin beef noodles, or this Roasted bell pepper beef Alfredo pasta.
Reasons this pasta will be a weeknight favorite
- Family hit: The kind of dinner that disappears fast.
- Total crowd-pleaser: Cheesy, saucy, and big on taste.
- Versatile: Sneak in extra veggies, swap in your favorite pasta shape, or use a different protein like chicken or turkey.
Watch the recipe video
Let me walk you through this recipe with my step-by-step video, or follow along on YouTube!
Pro tip
Use freshly grated cheddar, it melts creamier than pre-shredded and gives the sauce a richer flavor.
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Lean ground beef
- Onion and garlic
- Seasoning – Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and dried oregano
- Tomato paste
- Crushed tomatoes
- Honey
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite
- Fresh parsley
- Grated cheddar cheese
Variations
- Protein swaps: Ground turkey, pork, or chicken all work just as well as beef.
- Cheese mix: Try mozzarella or Parmesan alongside cheddar for extra melty goodness.
- Sweetness tweak: I switch to maple when I don’t have honey on hand. Since it’s just a tablespoon, the pasta won’t turn overly sweet.
- Make it creamy: A splash of cream or an extra handful of cheddar turns this into peak comfort food.
- Add veggies: I like to stir in bell peppers, spinach, kale, corn, or zucchini for extra color and crunch.
Which pasta works best?
Honestly, whatever you’ve got on hand will do the trick. I find short pasta shapes work especially well with ground meat. Shells, penne, rigatoni, or orecchiette catch all the saucy bits. But fettuccine, tagliatelle, or even spaghetti hold up beautifully too.
Can I make this dish spicy?
As written, the pasta isn’t hot, just a gentle kick from a pinch of cayenne. Want more heat? Add extra cayenne, stir in chili powder, or finish with sliced jalapeños or a sprinkle of crushed chili flakes.
Sides for BBQ honey beef pasta
Keep it simple to balance the richness. I like a leafy green salad with balsamic dressing and, more often than not, a side of garlic bread. You could also serve some grilled corn on the side.
Storage
- Fridge: This pasta reheats beautifully! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat over medium with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 month in a tightly sealed container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Cheesy Honey BBQ Beef Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion - diced
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1.4 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
- 1 can (14 oz/400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 ¼ cup grated cheddar
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking: Mince the garlic cloves, dice the onion and chop the parsley.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and break up into pieces. Cook until browned. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, BBQ sauce and tomato paste.
- Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- In the meantime, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain when ready, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
- Stir parsley and cheddar into the sauce, next add honey. Finally toss in pasta and add ½ cup cooking water. Stir until glossy. Enjoy!!
Video
Leave a Reply