Savory Beef in Garlic Cream Sauce

I've fallen in love with this decadent beef and pasta combo for evenings when I want something hearty but fancy. Juicy beef chunks swimming in silky garlic cream alongside perfectly al dente rigatoni creates what feels like restaurant food without leaving home.

I whipped up this dish when my in-laws came over for their first visit. The way they cleaned their plates and asked for more told me it was a winner, and we've been making it regularly ever since.

What You'll Need

• Rigatoni pasta: those big tubes really grab onto all that creamy goodness
• Lean beef: cut into small chunks so it cooks fast and stays tender
• Onion and garlic: build a flavor foundation that makes everything better
• Heavy cream: brings that smooth, rich texture we all crave
• Beef broth: adds meaty richness while keeping the sauce from getting too thick
• Cheddar cheese: turns everything luxuriously smooth as it melts in
• Olive oil: helps everything cook with a light flavor that steps back
• Paprika: gives a gentle warmth and pretty reddish tint
• Salt and pepper: pull all the tastes together just right
• Fresh parsley: adds a pop of green and fresh flavor against the richness

Cooking Walkthrough

Deal with the Pasta:

Fill a big pot with lots of salted water and bring it to a bubbling boil. Toss in your rigatoni and cook until it's got a tiny bit of chew left—about 10-12 minutes or whatever your package says. Leave it slightly firmer than you might normally since it'll keep cooking in the hot sauce later. When you drain it, don't rinse—those starches help the sauce stick better.

Get the Flavor Base Going:

Pour olive oil into a wide skillet over medium-high and let it get hot but not smoking. Throw in your chopped onion and let it cook for around 2 minutes until it softens up and looks see-through. Add your minced garlic and cook another minute or two, making sure it doesn't burn or it'll taste bitter. You want everything soft and smelling good.

Brown Your Beef:

Toss your beef cubes right in with the onions and garlic, spreading them out flat. Let them sit for about 2 minutes so they get brown on one side before you stir them around. Keep cooking and stirring now and then until the beef is browned all over and not pink inside—usually 5-7 minutes depending on how big you cut it. Those browned bits pack tons of flavor.

Start Your Sauce:

Sprinkle your paprika, salt and pepper all over the beef and mix it up. Right away, pour in your beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all those tasty stuck bits. Pour in the heavy cream and stir everything together until it looks uniform. Let it come to a gentle bubble—just little bubbles around the edge, not a hard boil that might make your cream separate.

Let It Thicken:

Turn the heat down to medium-low and let your sauce bubble gently for a full 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom. During this time, it'll naturally get thicker as water cooks off. When it coats the back of a spoon, you'll know it's perfect for clinging to your pasta.

Mix Everything Together:

Add your drained pasta straight into the pan with your sauce. Use tongs or a big spoon to gently mix until every piece of pasta gets coated. Let it sit for about a minute so the pasta can soak up some of that flavor.

Cheese Time:

Take the pan off the heat completely, then immediately add your shredded cheddar. Keep stirring gently until all the cheese melts into a smooth sauce that covers everything. The leftover heat should be enough to melt it without making it stringy or separated.

Final Touches:

Put everything onto plates or in a big serving bowl. Sprinkle lots of chopped parsley on top for color and freshness that cuts through the richness. Serve it right away while it's hot for the best experience.

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The real magic happens when you let the sauce simmer slowly. I tried rushing it once with higher heat and ended up with a broken, separated mess. Those extra few minutes of gentle bubbling create that smooth, velvety texture that makes everyone think you spent forever cooking.

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Common Questions

→ Can I use another type of pasta?

Sure thing. Any pasta works great here. Try bowties, spirals, or long noodles with this tasty garlic sauce.

→ What cut of beef is best?

Go for tender cuts like sirloin or tenderloin chunks. They cook up soft and soak up all the yummy sauce flavors.

→ Can I substitute cheddar cheese?

For sure. Try using Parmesan, Gruyère, or any cheese that gets all melty and gooey in the sauce.

→ How can I make the sauce thicker?

Cook it a bit longer to boil down, or mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with cold water and stir it in until it gets thicker.

→ Can I add vegetables to this dish?

You bet. Throw in some mushrooms, spinach, or broccoli bits. They taste amazing with the creamy sauce and beef.