Creamy Penne Pasta
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This simple creamy penne pasta with a garlicky parmesan sauce, ground beef, and topped with a crispy bacon topping is the perfect quick dinner recipe.
I consider this recipe as one of my simpler recipes that not only the adults like but the kids do as well. Using the penne pasta with ridges is important as the ridges hold more creamy sauce. Other ingredients include ground beef, butter for keeping the noodles from sticking and to sauté the garlic, cooked bacon pieces, bread crumbs for part of the topping, garlic, heavy whipping cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese. This recipe is a breeze to make and only takes about 40 minutes to prepare.
Something About Jett
When cooking meals I like to use as much “Homemade” ingredients in my recipes as I can. For this recipe I use my homemade bread crumbs. That’s right! I take French bread and turn it into bread crumbs. I usually make a batch ahead and keep it on hand for when a recipe calls for breadcrumbs. It’s cheaper to make my own and there aren’t any crazy ingredients in it like when you purchase breadcrumbs at the stores.
What’s the Difference Between Penne Pasta and Rigatoni Pasta
There’s not much difference when comparing penne and rigatoni pasta. You know, I have stood in the grocery store and tried to compare the difference between the two and both these pastas are very similar to each other. Besides the names below are a few differences:
- Both are tube shaped
- Penne Pasta can be more slender than Rigatoni Pasta
- Both can be found smooth or have ridges on the outside
- The pasta with ridges holds more sauce
- Penne has angled ends whereas Rigatoni has straight ends
- Rigatoni is usually shorter than Penne Pasta
- Other pastas similar to Penne Pasta (usually smooth pasta but sometimes has ridges) include Penne Rigate (with ridges) or Mostaccioli (smooth on the outside)
- Other pastas similar to Rigatoni include Mezza Rigatoni (shorter pasta)
Creamy Penne Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound penne pasta with ridges
- 1 teaspoon salt
- water to boil penne pasta
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (3 Tablespoons for pasta and 1 Tablespoon for garlic)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 5 slices of bacon
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (1/2 cup for the sauce and 1/4 cup for garnish)
Instructions:
Prepare Pasta
Prepare a large pan of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to water and bring to a boil. Add penne pasta, stir and cook on high until pasta is tender; about 12 minutes. Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally while boiling to avoid pasta from clumping together and or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the pasta is cooked strain the water. Put the warm pasta back into the large pan, add 3 Tablespoons of butter and stir to combine until butter has completely melted. Cover and set aside.
Prepare Ground Beef
Place ground beef in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until completely browned. Remove from heat and drain grease and place meat in a bowl and set aside.
Prepare Topping
Cut bacon into 1″ pieces. Add to large skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove from heat, drain grease, and put crispy bacon in a bowl and set aside. Add bread crumbs to the skillet and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Place cooked bacon in with the bread crumbs and stir together. Then put the topping into a bowl and set aside.
Prepare Sauce
Use the large skillet and wipe out any crumbs with a paper towel. Add 1 Tablespoon of butter and minced garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Lower heat and add heavy whipping cream. Then add 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Pour sauce over pasta and stir to combine.
Prepare to Serve
Place pasta in with the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle with bacon topping and top with remaining parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
I AM EXCITED YOU ARE VIEWING JETT’S EASY RECIPE FOR CREAMY PENNE PASTA AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOURS TURNS OUT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT!
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Creamy Penne Pasta
This simple creamy penne pasta with a garlicy parmesan sauce, ground beef, and topped with a crispy bacon topping is the perfect quick dinner recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta with ridges
- 1 teaspoon salt
- water to boil penne pasta
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (3 Tablespoons for pasta and 1 Tablespoon for garlic)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 5 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (1/2 cup for the sauce and 1/4 cup for garnish)
Instructions
-
Prepare Pasta
Prepare a large pan of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to water and bring to a boil. Add penne pasta, stir and cook on high until pasta is tender; about 12 minutes. Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally while boiling to avoid pasta from clumping together and or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the pasta is cooked strain the water. Put the warm pasta back into the large pan, add 3 Tablespoons of butter and stir to combine until butter has completely melted. Cover and set aside.
-
Prepare Ground Beef
Place ground beef in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until completely browned. Remove from heat and drain grease and place meat in a bowl and set aside.
-
Prepare Topping
Cut bacon into 1″ pieces. Add to large skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove from heat, drain grease, and put crispy bacon in a bowl and set aside. Add bread crumbs to the skillet and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Place cooked bacon in with the bread crumbs and stir together. Then put the topping into a bowl and set aside.
-
Prepare Sauce
Use the large skillet and wipe out any crumbs with a paper towel. Add 1 Tablespoon of butter and minced garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Lower heat and add heavy whipping cream. Then add 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Pour sauce over pasta and stir to combine.
-
Prepare to Serve
Place pasta in with the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle with bacon topping and top with remaining parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
