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–+ servings
A close-up of One Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta made with fusilli, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

One Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta

This recipe provides a simple, hearty meal that cooks entirely in one pot, minimizing cleanup. It uses ground beef, crushed tomatoes, and cream to create a satisfying, quick dinner perfect for busy weeknights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 500 g ground beef
  • 2 tsp Italian herbs Use a mix of dried oregano and basil if needed.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400 g can crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1.5 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken stock/broth low sodium
  • 350 g short pasta fusilli, penne, or elbow macaroni
  • 0.75 cups heavy cream thickened cream
For Serving
  • Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • Parsley finely chopped, optional

Equipment

  • Large heavy-based pot

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil on high heat in a large heavy-based pot. Cook garlic and onion for 1 1/2 minutes.
  2. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you can no longer see red meat. Add the Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds, then add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flavor.
  3. Add crushed tomato, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir, then add the pasta.
  4. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes then more frequently towards the end until the pasta is just about cooked. Make sure the pasta does not stick to the base.
  5. Add cream, then simmer for a further 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will still look quite loose; this is correct as the pasta absorbs liquid quickly.
  6. Remove the pot from the stove. Stir well, then ladle into bowls. Serve with parmesan and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 35gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 988mgPotassium: 1013mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 868IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Leftovers keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. This recipe is not suitable for freezing. If you do not have Italian herbs, use a mix of dried oregano and basil, or substitute with one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.

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