Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake Recipe You Need Now

Melted cheese stretching from a forkful of tender pasta, savory beef tucked into every bite, and that golden bubbly top that makes everyone grab seconds before you even sit down. Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake is the kind of dinner that fixes a long day in under 40 minutes.

I started making this back in 2019 when my daughter declared spaghetti “boring” and I had exactly 30 minutes before soccer practice. I tossed everything into one dish, cranked the oven, and watched her scrape the pan cleanshe didn’t say a word, just kept eating. After ten years of blogging and testing hundreds of casseroles, I’ve learned that the secret is layering the cheese twice: once in the sauce, once on top.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is what happens when comfort food meets a Tuesday night deadline. Everything cooks in two pots, the flavors build fast, and you get that stretchy cheese pull without turning on the oven.

• Speed that doesn’t taste rushed: From fridge to table in 25 minutes, including the time it takes to boil water.
• One-pot magic (almost): Just a skillet and a pasta potno casserole dish to scrub later.
• Kid-approved, adult-satisfying: My daughter stopped mid-bite to ask if we could have this “every week,” and my husband went back for thirds.
• Flexible and forgiving: Swap the cheese, use what’s in your pantry, and it still works beautifully.

What You’ll Need

The beauty of this Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake is that you probably have most of these ingredients already. Nothing fancy, nothing hard to findjust solid pantry staples that come together like they were meant to be friends.

The Pasta: Penne holds onto the sauce beautifully, but rotini or rigatoni work just as well if that’s what you’ve got open. The Beef: Ground beef gets seasoned with Italian seasoning and salt, then becomes the hearty base. The Sauce: Tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and heavy cream create that rich, silky texture. A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds depth without shouting about it. The Cheese: Shredded Cheddar melts right into the sauce and keeps everything cozy.

Pro Tip: Save a cup of pasta water before you drainit’s the secret to making the sauce cling to every piece of penne.

How to Make It

Start by getting your pasta water boiling. While the penne cooks, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heatlet it sit undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes so it gets a good sear underneath. Break it up, stir, and finish cooking until no pink remains.

Toss in the chopped onion and minced garlic, letting them soften for a few minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, then add the diced tomatoes with their juices. Pour in the heavy cream, let it bubble for 30 seconds, then stir in the shredded Cheddar until it melts into the sauce.

Drain your pasta (but remember that cup of cooking water), then dump the beef mixture right into the pasta pot. Stir everything together, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Taste, adjust with salt and pepper if needed, and serve it hot.

Step	What to Do	Time
1	Cook penne, reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain	10 min
2	Brown ground beef with salt and Italian seasoning	8 min
3	Add onion and garlic, cook until soft	4 min
4	Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire, diced tomatoes	2 min
5	Add cream and Cheddar, melt and stir	1 min
6	Combine with pasta, adjust with pasta water	1 min

Tips and Swaps

If you want to lighten things up, swap the heavy cream for half-and-halfit won’t be quite as luscious, but it still tastes great. You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef; just add a little extra salt since poultry is milder.

Cheese options: Cheddar is classic, but Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or a sharp white Cheddar all melt beautifully. Mix two kinds if you’re feeling fancy. Veggie boost: Stir in a handful of baby spinach or frozen peas right at the endthey’ll wilt into the sauce without extra effort.

Ingredient	Easy Swap
Heavy cream	Half-and-half or whole milk
Ground beef	Ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage
Cheddar cheese	Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Colby
Penne pasta	Rotini, rigatoni, or shells
Diced tomatoes	Crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce

How to Serve and Store

Serve this straight from the pot with a sprinkle of extra cheese on top and a side of garlic bread or a simple green salad. It’s also perfect next to roasted broccoli or steamed green beans if you want to sneak in more veggies.

Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of milk or water to bring the sauce back to life. You can also freeze individual portions for up to 3 monthsjust thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.

Note: The pasta will soak up some sauce as it sits, so don’t be surprised if it looks a little thicker the next day. A quick splash of cream or pasta water when reheating fixes that right up.

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How I Finally Nailed This Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake

I burned the first two attempts at this Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake because I got distracted yelling at my kids to set the table. The third time, I finally learned to cover it with foil halfway through, and now it comes out bubbly and perfect every single time.

FAQs ( Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake )

You’ll love how this Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake turns outgolden, bubbly, with that stretchy cheese pull that makes everyone reach for seconds before you’ve even plated yours. The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, but it tastes like you’ve been simmering something special all afternoon. Every bite is warm, savory, and exactly what a Tuesday night needs.

If you want to sneak in extra veggies, toss a handful of spinach or diced bell peppers into the beef while it cooksthey’ll melt right into the sauce. Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of milk or broth to loosen things up. And here’s a trick I learned from my mom’s kitchen: sprinkle a little extra cheese on top before reheating, then cover with foil so it gets all melty again without drying out.

I’d love to see your versiontag me if you make this, or tell me in the comments what your family thought. Did your kids scrape the pan clean like mine did? This is the kind of recipe that feels like a hug on a plate, so save it for a night when you need something easy and comforting. Share it with a friend who’s been asking for a go-to weeknight dinnerthey’ll thank you.