Delicious Homemade Ground Beef Pasta (Printable Version)
Hearty browned beef, small pasta, tomatoes and veggies simmered in savory broth for a comforting bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
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 and Seasonings
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt, to taste
16 - Black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Cheese (optional)
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How To Make:
01 - In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until well browned, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery to the browned beef. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, dried basil, oregano, and thyme. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Stir well and bring mixture to a steady simmer.
05 - Stir in small pasta shells or ditalini. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Add frozen peas and baby spinach to the pot during the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Continue simmering until vegetables and pasta are tender.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper according to preference.
08 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You’ll be amazed how leftovers taste even better the next day – it’s like uncovering a secret second meal in your fridge.
- This soup wins crowds without fuss, letting you feed everyone’s appetite for richness and vegetables at once.
02 -
- If you leave the pasta sitting too long in the soup, it keeps soaking up liquid and can turn mushy fast.
- Adding the greens at the very end keeps them vibrant instead of limp and bitter—it makes a difference.
03 -
- Browning the beef really well at the start locks in that deep, savory flavor.
- Taste and adjust with a squeeze of lemon or an extra pinch of herbs if it needs brightness at the end.