One-pot marry me beef pasta – like the viral ‘Marry Me Chicken’, but taken to the next level with orecchiette pasta and ground beef. Ready in 30 minutes and made with just a few basic ingredients. Big comfort, minimal effort.
Loving this marry me beef pasta? Add a few more favorites to your dinner rotation: try my One-Pot Marry Me Tortellini, One-Pan Tuscan Gnocchi, or Skillet Lemon Orzo with Salmon. All easy, all packed with flavor.
Marry me ground beef pasta recipe
Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions, this dish takes ‘Marry Me sauce’ and turns it into something extra satisfying. It’s already irresistible on its own, but when you simmer it with orecchiette and ground beef, it becomes truly crave-worthy.
The sauce is a rich, mouthwatering mix of sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, cream, garlic and a little heat from chili flakes. Once you try it, you’ll get why it’s a favorite.
Let me walk you through it in my easy step-by-step video, or follow along on YouTube!
Everything you’ll need for your shopping list
Ingredients
- Orecchiette – you can swap out for any other pasta like penne, farfalle or orzo
- Ground beef – you can also use ground chicken or Italian sausage
- Garlic
- Onion
- Black pepper, chili flakes, dried thyme
- Tomato paste
- Beef broth – you can swap it for chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Basil
Pro tips
- Don’t overcook the ground beef: Sauté just until it’s no longer pink – avoid browning or crisping it too much, it could dry out and lose flavor.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan: Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly and delivers way better flavor. It’s worth the extra step!
Serving tips
Serve this dish with warm garlic bread for dipping into the creamy sauce, and add a leafy green salad drizzled with honey-balsamic dressing for a fresh side.
How to store marry me beef pasta
- In the refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of cream or milk if the sauce needs loosening.
- In the freezer: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
One-Pot Marry Me Beef Pasta
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds ground beef
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes - less or more to taste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 12 ounces orecchiette
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes - drained, chopped oil reserved
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup basil - chopped
Instructions
- Get your prep done before you start cooking: dice the onion, mince the garlic cloves, chop the basil and the sun-dried tomatoes. Grate the Parmesan cheese.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomatoes over medium high in a large nonstick skillet. Add ground beef, break up into pieces and cook until it's no longer pink.
- Stir in pepper, chili flakes, thyme and tomato paste. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add orecchiette and beef broth, simmer until the pasta is tender according to package directions. Add more broth if needed.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and cream, stir to combine. Then stir in Parmesan and basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Video
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