If you're looking for an ultimate comfort meal, this Cowboy Butter Beef Pasta is the perfect addition to your dinner rotation! It's creamy, cheesy, and so delicious. Made with ground beef, pasta shells, cheese, and seasonings, this one pan meal is full of SO much flavor!
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
EASY ONE PAN COWBOY BUTTER BEEF PASTA
As a busy mom, I always love a good one pot meal, because it means easy prep and minimal clean up. This one pot Cowboy Butter Ground Beef Pasta gives all the rich comfort flavors, without having to spend much time in the kitchen.
My kids absolutely loved this recipe, and was even asking for seconds, which it hard to come by with kids. If you love this, you need to try my Unstuffed Pepper Skillet.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE COWBOY BUTTER BEEF PASTA
Easy to Prep: This one pot meal makes it easy to prep with minimal ingredients and clean up. Dinner is ready in under 30 minutes with minimal effort.
Budget-Friendly: Made with affordable ingredients likely already in your pantry, this cowboy butter ground beef pasta is a great budget-friendly option that can feed your family.
Family-Friendly: The smokey, rich flavors of this pasta dinner really make this the ultimate comfort meal. My family love how creamy and cheesy it is! So simple, but packed with flavors the whole family enjoys.
INGREDIENTS
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef works best in this recipe, though you can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Beef Broth: Beef broth brings bold, hearty flavor to every bite.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, tomato paste, worchestershire sauce, Kinder's cowboy butter, italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes bring the rich, comfort flavors to this recipe.
- Pasta: Protein penne pasta adds additional protein to recipe. However, pasta can be substituted for alternative.
- Cheese: Sharp white cheddar cheese provides a creamy and cheesy consistency.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy whipping cream adds the creamy consistency for this cowboy butter ground beef pasta.
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT COWBOY BUTTER PASTA
First, in a dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil to pan.
Next, cook ground beef completely, then add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and ½ the seasoning amount into the dutch oven, and stir together.
Add tomato paste, and worchestershire sauce.
Next, add beef broth, and 1 box of protein penne pasta.
Add remaining seasonings to dutch oven and stir together.
Then, once the liquid is brought to a simmer, turn down temperature to low/medium heat and cover with lid. Let it simer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through.
Once the pasta is fully cooked, reduce the heat to low, then stir in the heavy whipping cream and cheese. Stir together and serve.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Pasta: For this recipe, I like to use the Barilla Protein Penne Pasta for added protein. Can be easily substituted with an alternative pasta. However, it will adjust the total protein amount.
Cowboy Butter Seasoning: For this recipe, I like using the Kinder's Cowboy Butter seasoning. It provides the rich, smokey, comfort flavors for this recipe.
Cheese: For this recipe, I prefer using freshly shredded cheese, since it will provide a smoother consistency and will melt better. However, preshredded cheese will be good as well.
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I recommend reheating pasta on the stove top by adding it a bit of whole milk or heavy cream to help smooth out the consistency of the refrigerated pasta.
If you've tried any of my recipes, I would love to hear from you and leave me a comment below. You can also connect on Instagram, Tiktok, or Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along and try any of my other recipes!
Cowboy Butter Beef Pasta
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 teaspoon Kinder's Cowboy Butter Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 16 oz dry protein or regular penne pasta
- 32 oz beef broth
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz freshly shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
- In a dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil to pan.
- cook ground beef completely, then add 1 tablespoon minced garlic. (Can add ½ diced white onion as well if desired-and cook until translucent.
- Add ½ the seasoning amount into dutch oven, tomato paste, and worchestershire sauce. Stir together.
- Add 32 ounces beef broth, then add 1 box of protein penne pasta.
- Add remaining seasonings and stir together.
- Once the liquid is brought to a simmer, turn down temperature to low/medium heat and cover with lid.
- Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through.
- Once pasta is cooked through, turn heat down to low, and add heavy whipping cream.
- stir together, and add sharp white cheddar cheese. (I recommend freshly grated cheese for a creamy consistency.
- serve and enjoy!
Danielle Morrow says
Can this recipe be doubled? I have a family of 8- 4 of which are teenagers and they eat a lot!
Meghankay says
yes absolutely! if you are making a double batch i would recommend using 2 pots though if yours are standard size like mine. Just to make sure the pasta cooks correctly 🙂