Friday Night Pasta
Friday Night Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 large yellow onion, medium-diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon beef base
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces wide ruffled egg noodles, (such as mafalda or small lasagna sheets)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, place the ground beef over medium-high heat. Cook until browned on one side, then use a wooden spatula to break it up into fine pieces. Continue cooking until the beef is fully browned and no pink remains, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Season the browned ground beef with salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 1 min
- 3
Add the diced onion to the skillet with the ground beef. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and become translucent.
⏱️ 6 min
- 4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to slightly darken and deepen in flavor.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Dissolve the Better Than Bouillon beef base in the water, then pour the mixture into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Pour in the heavy cream and continue to simmer for another 5-6 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
⏱️ 6 min
- 7
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the wide ruffled egg noodles and cook until they are two-thirds cooked (they should still be quite firm). This will typically be 2-3 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
⏱️ 8 min
- 8
Add the partially cooked, drained pasta directly into the simmering meat sauce in the skillet. Stir well to coat the noodles.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and sauce, then stir until the cheese has melted and is fully incorporated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Add the red wine vinegar to the dish and stir to combine. This adds a bright, balancing acidity.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Remove the skillet from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to finish cooking and absorb the delicious sauce, becoming perfectly al dente.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Uncover, stir gently, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately, with additional grated Parmesan cheese on the side if desired.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Friday Night Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 large yellow onion, medium-diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon beef base
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces wide ruffled egg noodles, (such as mafalda or small lasagna sheets)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, place the ground beef over medium-high heat. Cook until browned on one side, then use a wooden spatula to break it up into fine pieces. Continue cooking until the beef is fully browned and no pink remains, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Season the browned ground beef with salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 1 min - 3
Add the diced onion to the skillet with the ground beef. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and become translucent.
⏱️ 6 min - 4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to slightly darken and deepen in flavor.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Dissolve the Better Than Bouillon beef base in the water, then pour the mixture into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Pour in the heavy cream and continue to simmer for another 5-6 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
⏱️ 6 min - 7
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the wide ruffled egg noodles and cook until they are two-thirds cooked (they should still be quite firm). This will typically be 2-3 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
⏱️ 8 min - 8
Add the partially cooked, drained pasta directly into the simmering meat sauce in the skillet. Stir well to coat the noodles.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and sauce, then stir until the cheese has melted and is fully incorporated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Add the red wine vinegar to the dish and stir to combine. This adds a bright, balancing acidity.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Remove the skillet from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to finish cooking and absorb the delicious sauce, becoming perfectly al dente.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Uncover, stir gently, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately, with additional grated Parmesan cheese on the side if desired.
⏱️ 1 min