Tender ground beef in a spicy sun-dried tomato cream sauce with Parmesan and basil. Spoon it over mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort dinner that’s ready in 15 minutes.
This dinner is incredibly delicious. Ground beef keeps it fast, while the Marry Me sauce makes the whole dish feel way more special than the effort involved.
And when I say I love this sauce, I mean it. It’s creamy, a little spicy, packed with sun-dried tomatoes, and exactly what you want spooned over buttery mashed potatoes.
If you’re looking for more comfort food dinners, try my Marry Me Beef with Orecchiette, Creamy Tuscan Hamburger Steaks, or Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta next.
Watch how to make this recipe
Follow along with my step-by-step video, or watch it on YouTube.
Ingredients
I kept the ingredient list short and pantry-friendly.
To cook the ground beef, I use both oil and butter. The oil handles the higher heat, while the butter adds extra flavor and helps the meat brown. For seasoning, I use paprika, black pepper, and low sodium soy sauce. The soy sauce adds color and a deeper savory note, but if you don’t have any, use about 1/2 teaspoon salt instead.
For the sauce, I use garlic, dried onion, and thyme. A shallot or small yellow onion works too. Cayenne pepper and chili flakes bring the heat, while sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, fresh basil, and lemon juice round everything out. Chicken broth and cream give you enough sauce to spoon generously over the potatoes.
Variations
- Add spinach and let it wilt into the sauce.
- Make it as spicy or mild as you like by adjusting the cayenne and chili flakes.
- Swap the beef for ground chicken, pork, or turkey.
Serving tips
Mashed potatoes are my first choice here, especially buttery potatoes or extra-creamy mash.
Garlic bread also works well, and a big leafy salad keeps things balanced.
Pro tip
If you’re serving this with mashed potatoes, make them first. They take about 25 minutes while you cook the beef and sauce.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the mashed potatoes separate.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of cream or milk if the sauce needs loosening.
Freezer: Freeze the beef and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Marry Me Ground Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1.1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
Creamy sun-dried tomato sauce
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes - drained, diced
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried onion
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - more or less to taste
- ½ tsp chili flakes - more or less to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup cooking cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves - torn by hand
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- mashed potatoes - for serving
Instructions
- If serving with mashed potatoes, start those first.
- Get your prep done: mince the garlic and dice the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the ground beef and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes, then break it into pieces.
- Stir in the soy sauce, paprika, and black pepper. Cook until browned, then transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, dried onion, cayenne, chili flakes, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Add the cream, Parmesan, basil, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Divide the mashed potatoes among bowls. Spoon over the creamy sauce, then top with the crispy beef. Serve with your favorite vegetables. Enjoy!
Video
Leave a Reply