Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
- Pour in beef broth; simmer 5–6 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Reduce heat to low; stir in Greek yogurt or cottage cheese until creamy. Avoid boiling.
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and add to skillet.
- Fold in mozzarella and Parmesan until melted and creamy.
- Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Reduce heat before adding yogurt or cottage cheese to prevent curdling.
- Add a splash of beef broth or milk when reheating to restore creaminess.
- Use high-protein pasta such as chickpea or lentil pasta for extra protein and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One-Pan
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85