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4.5 from 36 votes

Ground Beef Pasta Sauce (no tomato)

This tomato-free ground beef pasta sauce is quick and easy to make and tastes great on any pasta.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4 small portions
Calories: 286 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces small broccoli florets (about 2 cups) (about 2 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons mild olive oil
  • ¼ cup finely diced white or yellow onion (you need about ⅓ of a small onion for that)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 12 ounces extra lean ground beef (at least 90 percent lean)
  • ⅜ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder*
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil or steam the broccoli florets to desired doneness.
  2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a nonstick pan or a cast iron skillet until shimmering.
  3. Add onion and cook until starting to soften (about 2 minutes).
  4. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  5. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown on the edges (about 7 minutes). Use a wooden spoon to break up large chunks of meat while cooking.
  6. Stir in salt, paprika, chili powder and pepper.
  7. Pour in the cream. Simmer until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 4 minutes).
  8. Stir in the broccoli florets and serve the sauce hot with pasta and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • *Chili powder is a spice blend made with different ground chili peppers, cumin, oregano, garlic and salt. It's widely available in spice shops.