Creamy Beef and Bowtie Pasta with a Garlic Alfredo Sauce

When you’re looking for a dinner that is pure, unadulterated comfort food, a creamy pasta dish is almost always the answer.

Today, we’re creating a wonderfully rich and satisfying meal that combines savory ground beef, fun bowtie pasta, and a luscious, homemade garlic Alfredo sauce. It’s a dish that feels special but comes together easily on a weeknight.

This recipe is all about building a simple yet elegant cream sauce from scratch—don’t worry, it’s incredibly easy.

We’ll start by browning some seasoned ground beef, then create a velvety sauce with butter, garlic, cream, and plenty of Parmesan cheese. The cooked bowtie pasta gets tossed in this amazing sauce, creating a dish where every single nook and cranny of the pasta is coated in creamy, cheesy goodness.

This is a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal that is sure to become a new family favorite. Let’s get that sauce simmering!

Essential Tools

• Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
• Large Pot for Cooking Pasta
• Colander
• Wooden Spoon or Spatula
• Whisk
• Cheese Grater

Quick Recipe Snapshot

Here’s a quick look at how easily this creamy and comforting meal comes together.

Ingredients

This rich and creamy pasta uses a handful of simple, powerful ingredients.

For the Pasta and Beef:

• Bowtie Pasta (Farfalle): 1 lb.
• Lean Ground Beef: 1 lb.
• Olive Oil: 1 tbsp.
• Seasonings: ½ tsp each of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

For the Homemade Alfredo Sauce:

• Unsalted Butter: 4 tbsp.
• Heavy Cream: 1.5 cups.
• Garlic: 3-4 cloves, minced.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: 1 cup, freshly grated is best.
• A Pinch of Nutmeg: (Optional, but highly recommended).
• Fresh Parsley: ¼ cup, chopped, for garnish.
• Reserved Pasta Water: About ½ cup.

The Flavor Architects A Look at the Ingredients

• Heavy Cream: This is the essential, luxurious base of a true Alfredo sauce. Its high fat content creates a rich, stable sauce that won’t curdle and has a wonderfully velvety mouthfeel.
• Parmesan Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, use a block of real Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. It provides a sharp, nutty, and salty flavor that is the signature of Alfredo.
• Garlic: Using fresh, minced garlic provides a pungent, aromatic, and savory backbone to the sauce that becomes sweet and mellow as it cooks in the butter.
• Nutmeg: This is a classic secret ingredient in many cream sauces. Just a tiny pinch enhances the cheesy, savory flavors and adds a subtle, warm, aromatic note.
• Pasta Water: The starchy water left over from cooking your pasta is liquid gold. It helps to emulsify the sauce, making it extra creamy and helping it cling perfectly to every bowtie.

Cooking Instructions

This impressive pasta dinner comes together in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.

Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Brown the Beef

First, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to the package directions until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef to the skillet, season it with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through. It is very important to drain all of the excess fat from the skillet. Set the cooked beef aside.

Step 2: Create the Luscious Alfredo Sauce

Before you drain your pasta, be sure to reserve about one cup of the starchy pasta water. In the same skillet you used for the beef, reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter.

Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook for about one minute, stirring constantly, until it is fragrant. Be very careful not to let the garlic brown or burn.

Slowly pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, letting it cook for 2-3 minutes for the cream to reduce slightly.

Step 3: Finish the Sauce and Combine

Reduce the heat to low. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it has melted completely and the sauce is smooth.

Stir in the pinch of nutmeg. Now, return the cooked ground beef to the skillet with the Alfredo sauce. Add the drained bowtie pasta to the skillet as well.

Step 4: The Final Toss

Using tongs or a large spoon, gently toss the pasta and beef in the creamy sauce until everything is evenly and generously coated.

If the sauce seems too thick, you can stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved starchy pasta water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Let everything warm through together for a minute, then serve immediately, garnished with a generous amount of fresh chopped parsley and some extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Variations

This creamy and comforting dish is a great base for your own favorite additions.

• Make it Spicy: For a spicy version, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the butter along with the garlic. Using a spicy ground sausage instead of ground beef would also be delicious.
• Add Some Veggies: This dish is fantastic with some added vegetables. Try adding a cup of steamed green peas, sautéed mushrooms, or a few large handfuls of fresh spinach (stir it in at the end until it wilts) to the sauce.
• Different Cheeses: For a tangier sauce, you can substitute half of the Parmesan with an equal amount of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Serving Suggestions

This rich and hearty pasta is a complete meal, but it pairs wonderfully with a few simple sides.

• Garlic Bread: A warm, crusty slice of garlic bread is the perfect tool for mopping up any leftover creamy sauce from your plate.
• Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad of mixed greens with a bright, tangy vinaigrette is the perfect fresh contrast to the rich, creamy pasta.
• Roasted Broccoli: A side of simple roasted broccoli or asparagus adds a nice touch of green and a healthy component to the meal.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Cream-based pasta sauces are notoriously tricky to reheat, but it can be done.

• Storage: Let any leftovers cool completely. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: The best method is to reheat the pasta gently in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of milk or cream to the pan to help loosen the sauce and bring back its creamy texture as it warms. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it can cause the cream sauce to separate and become oily.

Common Mistakes & Fixes

FAQs

Can I use a different kind of pasta?

Yes, absolutely! While the little “bows” of farfalle are great for catching the creamy sauce, this dish is also delicious with other pasta shapes like fettuccine, penne, or rotini.

Can I use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream?

While you can, it is not recommended for the best results. Heavy cream has a high fat content that makes the sauce rich and stable.

Using a lower-fat dairy like milk or half-and-half will result in a much thinner sauce that is also more likely to curdle or break when heated.

Why is it important to reserve the pasta water?

The water that you cook your pasta in is full of starch. When you add a splash of this starchy water to your sauce, the starches help to emulsify the fat and water in the sauce, creating a smoother, creamier consistency that clings to the pasta perfectly instead of just sliding off.

Enjoy Your Ultimate Comfort Food Dinner!

You are now ready to make a decadent and incredibly satisfying dish of beef and bowtie pasta with alfredo sauce. It’s the perfect meal for a cozy night in, and it’s simple enough to make any day of the week.

I hope you and your family love every single creamy, cheesy, and savory bite!