Creamy Cheesy Meat Sauce Rigatoni
Ground beef simmered with onion, garlic, and tomato paste, tossed with rigatoni and a silky white sauce, then finished under a blanket of melted mozzarella and cheddar. Pure comfort in one skillet.
Equipment
- 1 | Large skillet with lid |
- 1 | Medium saucepan | for white sauce
- 1 | Whisk |
- 1 | Spatula |
- 1 | Pot | for boiling pasta
Ingredients
- 1 | lb | ground beef |
- 1 | | onion | diced
- 3 | cloves | garlic | minced
- 3 | tbsp | tomato paste |
- 1 | tsp | cumin |
- 12 | oz | rigatoni |
- 4 | tbsp | butter |
- 3 | tbsp | flour |
- 2 | cups | milk |
- 2 | cups | shredded mozzarella |
- 1 | cup | shredded cheddar |
- 0.25 | cup | fresh parsley | chopped
- 0.5 | tsp | red pepper flakes |
- 2 | tbsp | oil |
- 1 | | salt and pepper | to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil and sauté diced onion and garlic until soft.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Cook rigatoni until al dente and drain.
- Melt butter, whisk in flour, then slowly add milk to make white sauce.
- Combine pasta, meat sauce, and white sauce in the skillet.
- Top with mozzarella and cheddar, cover, and melt the cheese.
- Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes before serving.
- Tip: Reserve a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
Reheat gently with a splash of milk to keep the sauce creamy.
Freeze the meat sauce separately for up to 2 months.
Swap beef for ground turkey for a lighter version.
Reheat gently with a splash of milk to keep the sauce creamy.
Freeze the meat sauce separately for up to 2 months.
Swap beef for ground turkey for a lighter version.