Delicious Homemade Ground Beef Pasta (Printable)
Savory ground beef with pasta and vegetables in a tomato-beef broth — comforting, easy, and ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 cup frozen peas
08 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
→ Pasta
09 - 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini
→ Liquids
10 - 6 cups beef broth
11 - 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Cheese
17 - Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until fully browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, dried basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
04 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Incorporate pasta shells or ditalini. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Add frozen peas and baby spinach (if using) during the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Cook until pasta and vegetables reach desired tenderness.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Slipping extra spinach under the radar is the easiest health upgrade ever, and no one even blinks.
- This soup transforms into an even tastier lunch the next day—big flavors only deepen.
02 -
- If you add the pasta too early, it drinks up all your broth and turns the soup into stew—add it when the base tastes rich.
- A good simmer means gentle bubbles only; otherwise, the beef can get tough and veggies will go limp.
03 -
- I once salted the soup too early and had to double the broth to save it, so always season at the end.
- The biggest difference comes from browning the beef thoroughly before anything else—it builds the flavor base you’ll crave.