Description
This hearty French onion beef and pasta casserole combines rich, caramelized onions with tender beef and comforting pasta. Savory flavors meld together, creating a satisfying meal that welcomes you to enjoy classic comfort cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz (226 g) pasta (orecchiette or elbow macaroni)
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ounce (1 packet/envelope) onion soup mix
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions, reserving 1 1/2 cups of starchy liquid for sauce development.
- Meat Browning: Sear ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, methodically breaking down the meat until achieving a rich, golden-brown color and releasing its robust flavors.
- Aromatic Infusion: Introduce minced garlic to the browned beef, allowing its fragrant notes to permeate the meat, then integrate onion soup mix and tomato paste, creating a deeply seasoned foundation.
- Sauce Harmonization: Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet, reducing heat and simmering for ten minutes to meld flavors and create a luxurious, velvety sauce consistency.
- Final Assembly: Combine cooked pasta with the meat sauce, gently folding to ensure complete coating, then incorporate frozen peas and grated parmesan cheese, stirring to distribute ingredients evenly and create a creamy, cohesive dish.
- Finishing Touches: Fine-tune the sauce consistency with additional pasta water if needed, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and garnish with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese for an indulgent presentation.
Notes
- Starch Savior: Reserved pasta water is crucial for creating a silky, clingy sauce that helps bind ingredients together perfectly.
- Meat Mastery: Break ground beef into small, uniform pieces while browning to ensure even cooking and maximum flavor absorption.
- Simmer Secret: Low and slow cooking develops deeper, more complex flavor profiles in the meat sauce.
- Cheese Technique: Add parmesan cheese at the end of cooking to prevent separation and maintain a smooth, creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg