Description
A quick, comforting, and restaurant-quality creamy ground beef alfredo that uses cream cheese for a stable, velvety sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 lean recommended)
- 1 pound (450g) dried fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 8 ounces (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Generous crack of black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Reserved pasta water (as needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes until fully browned. Drain excess grease if necessary, but leave some for flavor. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the beef and stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant and golden, being careful not to burn.
- Pour in heavy cream and add softened cream cheese. Stir gently and continuously for 3-4 minutes until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together until every noodle is coated. Sprinkle in grated parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning or add red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot, topped with extra parmesan or fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Ensure cream cheese is softened to prevent lumps. Do not rush the browning of the beef; high heat and space are key for flavor. Reserve pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of milk or water to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 2 cups
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: ground beef alfredo, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, easy family meal, comfort food, quick dinner, beef pasta recipe