Cheesy Beef and Bowtie Pasta – Easy Dinner Recipes the Whole Family Will Love
Let me tell you something: when I need a solid dinner that doesn’t involve me crying into a frozen pizza at 7 PM, this cheesy beef and bowtie pasta is where I turn. It’s one of those easy dinner recipes that’s both forgiving and, well, delicious enough to make me look like I actually planned dinner for once.
The garlic butter adds a kind of rich, cozy hug to each noodle, while the browned beef sneaks in all the protein you need without making a big fuss. I like to keep garlic scapes on hand when I can find them—they give the dish this mellow bite that garlic cloves sometimes can’t manage. If you’re a garlic scapes recipes fan, this one’s a keeper.
I threw this together one night after scrolling through food in Philippines recipe blogs and realizing I didn’t have half the ingredients—but what I had worked. Think of it like one of those pasta sauce recipes you didn’t know you needed. Add a little white wine (or don’t—drink it instead), and maybe whisper sweet nothings to the pan as it simmers. This isn’t just a meal; it’s the best pasta sauce wrapped around your favorite comfort carbs.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 cups bowtie pasta (farfalle), uncooked
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup garlic scapes, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup white wine (or water)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bowtie pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and season with salt and pepper.
- Once the beef is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and set aside. In the same pan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and garlic scapes (if using). Stir for about a minute or until fragrant—don’t let it burn.
- Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and onion powder. Stir well.
- Pour in beef broth and white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Return the beef to the skillet and toss in the cooked pasta.
- Lower the heat and stir in mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Mix until melted and everything’s coated in cheesy goodness.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.