Creamy Tuscan Beef Rigatoni

Creamy Tuscan Beef Rigatoni ingredients

• 12 oz rigatoni pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef (85/15 lean)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 5 oz fresh spinach
• 0.5 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

How to make Creamy Tuscan Beef Rigatoni

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 ounces of rigatoni pasta and cook according to package directions until it is al dente, typically 10-12 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb of ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned and no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pan and set the cooked beef aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook until it is softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves of minced garlic and 0.5 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate them into the sauce. Stir in 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning, 0.5 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.
5. Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
6. Add 5 ounces of fresh spinach to the skillet. Stir continuously until the spinach wilts completely, which should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the cooked and drained rigatoni pasta to the skillet. Stir in 0.5 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Toss everything together vigorously to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add 0.25 to 0.5 cup of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
8. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese if desired.

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