Go Back
an ordinary shallow bowl of linguine strands with small browned ground-beef crumbles, thin softened garlic slices and tiny red pepper flakes in a light glossy butter coating, with no white cream sauce, tomato, lemon wedges or garnish
Rachel Kim

Garlic Butter Pasta With Ground Beef

Brown the beef in one broad layer before breaking it apart so the garlic-butter pasta gets seared edges instead of only gray crumbles. Linguine cooks in the broth left behind, with butter and lemon making a light finish. Soften the sliced garlic without letting it turn dark. Use tongs to loosen the strands every minute or two, since long pasta can glue itself together at the center of a wide pan even when the visible ends look ready.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 8 oz dry linguine broken in half
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup water reserved as needed
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Method
 

  1. Press beef into a broad even layer in a deep 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn in sections, break into small crumbles and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more until the beef reaches 160°F; drain excess fat.
  2. Lower heat to medium, add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute until softened but not dark. Add broth, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper.
  3. Bring to a simmer and add broken linguine in a loose layer. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes, lifting and separating strands with tongs every 1 to 2 minutes; add reserved water if the pan dries before pasta is tender.
  4. Leave a shallow layer of starchy broth in the pan, then remove from heat and toss in butter a piece at a time until the liquid lightly coats the strands.
  5. Toss in lemon juice and zest and serve immediately without reducing the butter coating further.