American-Style Creamy Beef Ragu is a protein powerhouse that gives all the satisfaction of a smooth, creamy, tomato sauce.
There is nothing more satisfying than a creamy beef ragu sauce, and this American-style version does not disappoint. This pasta is the perfect comfort food and simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
The ingredients we use are basic and likely something you already have in the fridge. What makes this ragu and American-style one is the use of steak spice to flavour the meat and veggies as well as cottage cheese to create the perfect creamy texture.
The veggies that go into this recipe are just an example which makes this recipe the perfect dump dinner. Grab whatever veggies you have in the fridge to use them up in this ragu sauce.
TIP: This is a typical quick House of G&K recipe that we prep while we cook so we don’t waste any time. If you’re not comfortable in the kitchen, chop the veggies before you start cooking the meat.
Preparing American-Style Creamy Beef Ragu with Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
Meat
Ground beef: Ground beef can come from many parts of the cow so if you have a preference make sure to read the label. It is usually made from the trimmings of other, larger cuts of beef and is then ground.
Dairy
Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is made up of curdled milk which creates curds. It comes in many different varieties, from dry to creamy with varying curd sizes. It has a mild slightly savoury flavour which makes it perfect for both savoury and sweet dishes. Cottage cheese is rich in calcium and protein making it a healthy part of your breakfast.
Produce
Green bell pepper: Green bell peppers are the most bitter of the bell pepper varieties because they are harvested the earliest in the growing season. They are a deep green colour and are extra crunchy. Though they pack less nutritional value than their red pepper counterparts they contain a similar amount of protein only slightly less fiber. Green peppers also give your daily required dose of Vitamin C per every 100g consumed.
Red bell pepper: The sweetness of red bell pepper is unbeatable in this recipe. Red peppers are the more mature version of the more bitter and earthy green pepper. Though they are technically a fruit, bell peppers are typically used as a vegetable in cooking. Red bell peppers are high in vitamins C and A.
Yellow onion: Onion is a very common vegetable that is used both raw and cooked in food preparation. It has a sharp flavour raw that often sweetens once cooked. There are many varieties of onions, some that are milder than others. We use the common onion or yellow onion in this recipe.
Pantry
Beef stock: The beef stock carries a lot of flavour. Before putting it in the soup have a taste to test out how salty it is. You don’t want to add salt if you don’t need it. If you find the stock salty enough for
you, skip the ½ tsp of salt that we call for near the end of the cooking process.Tomato paste: Tomato paste is concentrated tomato sauce. As the name indicates it is a paste and therefore has a reduced water content. It’s rich in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium and is a great way to add tomato flavour without adding extra liquid.
Montreal steak spice: I use Montreal steak spice for this recipe. Montreal steak spice gets its name because it is used to make Montreal smoked meat. It is a spice mix or seasoning made up of many spices including salt, dehydrated garlic and onion and mustard seed, black pepper, and red pepper.
Flour: I use all-purpose flour. It is a wheat flour and the most commonly used flour for baking. It is very versatile and makes anything from pizza dough to cookies and cakes. You can use whole wheat flour for this recipe to add a little bit more fibre if you’d like.
Rigatoni Noodles: Rigatoni noodles are made from semolina dough and shaped into 1.77-inch long tubes with ridges on the outside. These noodles are perfect for ragu because they hold the sauce well.
How to Make American-Style Creamy Beef Ragu Pasta
As we mentioned above this recipe will move quickly once you start cooking. So, if you are not comfortable managing a pan and chopping veggies don’t sweat, just prep the veggies first. Start with Step 2 then go to step 1.
Step 1: Prep your pots and pans
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the noodles. Check the package instructions for quantity and timing.
Once the large pot is on the stove, heat up a large pan as well. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until it’s browned breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. This should take about 5 minutes or so from the time your pan is heated up.
Partway through, sprinkle the Montreal steak spice over the meat and stir well to coat.
Step 2: Chop the Veggies
While you are waiting for the water to boil and while the meat is cooking, prepare all the veggies. We suggest red and green bell peppers and yellow onion. If you have other veggies on hand feel free to use those. Carrots, celery or zucchini would all work really well in this dish.
Once the meat is almost cooked through, add the veggies to the pan and stir everything to combine.
Sautee until the veggies begin to soften, another 3 minutes or so.
Step 3: Cook the noodles
The water should be boiling by now so add your noodles to the water and stir until the water begins to boil again to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Now you need to make the sauce. This is the easiest sauce you can make because we simply add all the ingredients to a blender and mix.
Combine the stock, tomato paste, flour, cottage cheese and salt and pepper in a blender or cup meant for your handheld blender and mix. Mic for about a minute until smooth.
Once the veggies in the pan have softened, add the sauce to the pan, stir and cook for about 5 more minutes.
Step 5: Complete the pasta
When the noodles are cooked, scoop them out of the pot with a slotted spoon and into the pot with the sauce. Using a silicone spatula stir the pasta to combine well.
Substitutions
Bell Peppers: The bell peppers are merely a suggestion of the veggies you may choose to add to this dish. This is the perfect dump dinner so use whatever veggies you have in the fridge. Carrots, celery, zucchini or mushrooms would all work really well in this pasta dish.
Ground Beef: If you don’t eat red meat then using ground poultry instead is a great option. Since we use a creamy sauce in this recipe the consistency of the dish won’t be impacted when using a leaner protein. I have not tried this dish with tofu but I’d love to hear your experience if you test it out!
Cottage cheese: We use cottage cheese for two reasons. One is that it’s a great source of protein and another is that it’s a less fatty option to cream, particularly since we’re pairing it with a fattier protein. If fat content is not a concern for you, you can substitute the cottage cheese with heavy cream or half and half.
Rigatoni Noodles: Some noodles are better than others for this sauce but don’t be alarmed if you don’t have any of them. Truly any noodle will work. I like to use rotini, shells, penne or gnocchi.
Serving American-Style Creamy Beef Ragu with Cottage Cheese
The only thing that makes this an American-style pasta is the seasoning but everything else about this dish should be treated like a traditional pasta.
For the best meal experience, I highly recommend you serve this pasta with a side of fresh ciabatta bread and a simple spinach salad.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
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American-Style Creamy Beef Ragu with Cottage Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
- Large pan
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Large pot
- Stand blender ((or handheld blender))
Ingredients
- 450 g noodles rotini or rigatoni
- 450 g lean ground beef
- ½ red bell pepper
- ½ green bell pepper
- ½ yellow onion
- 2 tsp Montreal steak spice
Sauce
- 1 cup beef stock
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Next, add the meat to a large pan and cook on medium-high heat until browned, roughly 5 minutes. Break it up with a spatula throughout the cooking process and sprinkle with the steak spice part way through.450 g lean ground beef, 2 tsp Montreal steak spice
- Wash and dice the pepper and peel and dice the onion while the meat cooks. Then add the veggies to the large pan and sauté until softened stirring occasionally.½ red bell pepper, ½ green bell pepper, ½ yellow onion
- Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.450 g noodles
- While the meat and veggies cook, add the stock, cottage cheese, tomato paste, flour, salt and pepper to a blender and mix until smooth.1 cup beef stock, ¼ cup tomato paste, ¼ cup cottage cheese, 2 tbsp flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
- Once the veggies have begun to soften add the liquid to the pan and stir until well combined. Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat or until the noodles are al dente.
- Once the noodles are cooked, add them to the large pan and stir to mix well with the meat sauce.
- Serve with a side salad and a fresh ciabatta bun.
