Ingredients
1 lb ground beef, 80/20
12 oz campanelle pasta
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups whole milk
⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
2 cups spinach, packed
1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp garlic powder, divided
2 tsp onion powder, divided
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
2½ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Heat a large deep skillet or pot over medium-high. Add the ground beef with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, the paprika, 1 tsp salt, and the black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces.
Add the onion, garlic, butter, sun-dried tomatoes, their oil, and the tomato paste. Sauté 5 minutes.
Add the pasta, beef broth, milk, remaining garlic powder and onion powder, the Italian seasoning, and the remaining 1½ tsp salt. Stir, then spread the pasta into an even layer so it stays submerged.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 10-12 minutes on medium-low. At 10 minutes lift the lid, stir, and check the pasta. Cook longer if needed.
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then the Parmesan until the sauce turns creamy.
Notes
Spread the pasta into an even layer before covering. Pieces sitting above the liquid stay hard.
If it looks too thick before the pasta is done, add a splash of broth. If it looks too thin at the end, leave it uncovered for a few minutes and it thickens on its own.
Grate the Parmesan yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch to stop it clumping, and that coating stops it melting smoothly.
Hold back a little cheese for the top, and drizzle a little of the sun-dried tomato oil over each bowl.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American