Spiced beef and mascarpone pasta

Spiced beef and mascarpone pasta
Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
Serves 2–3

Get ahead with meal prep and make a batch of our flexible spiced beef mince base, which you can then use to make this rich and creamy pasta in minutes.

By Verity Genco

Shopping list

Ingredients

Recipe tips

Method

  1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve about 240ml/8½fl oz of the pasta water, then drain.

  2. While the pasta cooks, place the spiced beef mince base in a wide pan. Reheat gently over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot. Add a small splash of water to loosen, if needed.

  3. Stir the mascarpone and passata into the beef. Mix until smooth and heated through. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, adding more if needed to reach the desired consistency.

  4. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss well to coat. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed.

  5. Serve in warm pasta bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of fresh basil and a generous grating of Parmesan. Finish with a pinch of chilli flakes, if using.

Recipe tips

Pasta water helps loosen and emulsify the sauce – reserve a cup before draining. Add as much or as little pasta water as you like, depending on how saucy you want the final dish.

If reheating the beef from chilled, add a small splash of water to loosen it before adding

the mascarpone and passata.

Taste and season carefully – the beef and cheese may already contain salt.

Use pasta shapes with ridges or hollows, such as conchiglie, fusilli or rigatoni, to help the

sauce and meat cling better.

Swap mascarpone for crème fraîche if you'd prefer a tangier, lighter version.

You can also use the spiced beef base to make the following meals:

Spiced tomato and garlic beef flatbreads

Spiced tomato and garlic beef burrito bowl