Description
Hearty one-pot beef and cheddar ranch pasta delivers comfort with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor. Creamy cheese, savory beef, and zesty ranch seasoning blend seamlessly, promising you a satisfying meal that comes together effortlessly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups uncooked pasta (penne, rotini, or elbow macaroni)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (10 oz / 280 g) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or milk for a lighter option)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 (1 oz / 28 g) packet ranch seasoning mix
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon (optional)
Instructions
- Sear and Flavor Protein: Ignite olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high flame. Introduce ground beef, rendering it into rich, caramelized fragments. Incorporate diced onions and minced garlic, infusing aromatic depth. Lavish with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and ranch seasoning for robust flavor profile.
- Liquid Integration and Pasta Infusion: Pour beef broth and diced tomatoes with green chilies directly into the skillet. Cascade uncooked pasta into the liquid landscape, ensuring complete submersion. Escalate to a gentle boil, then reduce thermal intensity. Seal with a lid, allowing ingredients to harmonize and pasta to tenderize for 12-15 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Creamy Cheese Transformation: Swirl heavy cream into the vessel, followed by cascading shredded cheddar cheese. Gently manipulate until sauce achieves silky, uniform consistency. Allow brief simmering to meld flavors and textures seamlessly. Calibrate seasoning through careful tasting.
- Finishing and Presentation: Embellish with verdant parsley sprigs and optional crisp bacon fragments. Transfer immediately to serving dishes, capturing the dish’s peak temperature and vibrancy.
Notes
- Ensure ground beef is browned deeply for maximum flavor development, breaking it into small crumbles to create a rich, caramelized texture.
- Watch pasta closely during simmering to prevent overcooking or drying out, stirring occasionally and adding extra broth if needed for perfect consistency.
- Remove pan from direct heat when adding cheese to prevent separation, stirring gently until smooth and creamy for a silky ranch sauce.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey for a leaner version, use gluten-free pasta for celiac-friendly meal, or substitute dairy-free cheese for lactose-intolerant diets.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg