Creamy Pesto Beef Pasta

Indulgent, rich and full of flavor, this creamy pesto beef pasta recipe is perfect on those chilly evenings!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 704kcal

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and set to one side.
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Place the oil in a large skillet and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add in the diced onion and garlic, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook til softened.
1 teaspoon oil, 1 large onion, 2 large garlic cloves
Push the onions and garlic to one side of the skillet, and place in the ground beef, along with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
1 pound ground beef (medium or lean)
Cook the ground beef, whilst breaking up with a spatula, til no pink is left.
To the beef, add the tomato paste, pesto, lemon zest and cream. Stir together well and bring the cream to a simmer.
1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 jar green pesto, zest 1 lemon, 1 cup cream (35%)
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes til the cream has thickened, stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn't stick.
Place the cooked pasta into a large pot and add in the creamy beef. Stir together.
Serve with a garnish of grated parmesan and fresh herbs like parsley or basil.

If you want to add in other veggies with the onions, you may need to remove them from the skillet before cooking the beef so that you have enough room. Once the beef is browned, you can mix the veggies back in.

The cream will take a little while to thicken, so be patient. Stir occasionally so that it doesn't stick.

Once the cream has thickened, the oil from the pesto will rise to the surface of the skillet. Once tossed with the pasta, this will incorporate really well. You can drain some of the oil if you prefer, but it's so tasty!