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Creamy Beef Spaghetti in Tomato Mozzarella Sauce
Isabella

Creamy Beef Spaghetti in Tomato Mozzarella Sauce

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • For the Beef and Tomato Sauce
  • 1¼ pounds 90% lean ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounces
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
  • For the Pasta and Cheese
  • 12 ounces dry spaghetti
  • 1¼ cups freshly shredded mozzarella
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • ½ to 1 cup reserved pasta water as needed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method
 

  1. Cook the Spaghetti
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
  3. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. The pasta should be tender but still have a slight bite in the center.
  4. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the spaghetti and set it aside.
  5. Do not skip the pasta water. You may not need all of it, but it gives you an easy way to adjust the sauce later.
  6. Brown the Ground Beef and Onion
  7. Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter.
  8. Once melted, add the ground beef and finely diced onion.
  9. Cook for several minutes, breaking the beef apart with a wooden spoon or spatula. Continue cooking until the beef is deeply browned and the onion becomes soft and translucent.
  10. Allowing the beef to develop browned edges is important. Those caramelized bits create much more flavor than simply cooking the meat until it is no longer pink.
  11. Add the Garlic and Seasonings
  12. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and tomato paste.
  13. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  14. The tomato paste should become slightly darker and more concentrated, while the garlic and herbs should become fragrant.
  15. Be careful not to cook the garlic too long because it can become bitter.
  16. Build the Tomato Cream Sauce
  17. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  18. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
  19. This short simmer allows the tomatoes to combine with the beef and seasonings while concentrating their flavor.
  20. Add the Cream and Ricotta
  21. Reduce the heat to low.
  22. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and whole-milk ricotta.
  23. Continue stirring until the ricotta is incorporated and the sauce becomes thick, creamy, and orange-red.
  24. Avoid boiling the sauce aggressively once the dairy has been added. Gentle heat helps maintain a smooth texture.
  25. Add the Cheese
  26. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  27. Add the freshly shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Stir gently until the cheese melts into the warm sauce.
  28. The residual heat from the sauce should be enough to create a rich, cheesy consistency.
  29. If the sauce feels too thick, add a small splash of reserved pasta water and stir.
  30. Toss Everything Together
  31. Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet.
  32. Toss thoroughly so the creamy beef sauce coats every strand of pasta.
  33. If necessary, add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until you reach the consistency you like.
  34. The finished sauce should cling to the spaghetti without being dry or overly thick.
  35. Fold in the chopped fresh parsley just before serving.