Hamburger Alfredo (20 Min.)
This comforting Hamburger Alfredo recipe offers the creaminess of a classic Alfredo sauce combined with savory and hearty ground beef. A perfect midweek meal you can make in just 20 minutes with just a few staple ingredients. The creamy Alfredo sauce with hamburger meat comes together at the same time the pasta is cooking, making this a super quick and easy pasta dinner everyone will love!
I have a list of quick and easy midweek dinners I can make in a heartbeat and this creamy ground beef Alfredo is one of them.
Just like my one-pot ground beef Alfredo pasta with broccoli or Alfredo sauce with meatballs, this creamy hamburger pasta dish comes together in under 30 minutes and is a sure crowd-pleaser. Especially the kids love the combination of creamy fettuccine with savory ground beef. For a lighter version, use my blender cottage cheese Alfredo recipe.
If you love Alfredo and bolognese pasta, make sure you give this recipe a try!
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Hamburger Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz fettuccine dried
- 1 tsp salt
Hamburger Alfredo Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter salted or unsalted
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated, extra as garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine pasta and cook it according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.8 oz fettuccine, 1 tsp salt
- Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Once melted, add the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Break up the ground meat and cook it for 5 minutes until the color changes to brown. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp butter, 1 lb ground beef, 1 tsp salt, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cream. Stir the sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the grated parmesan cheese and continue stirring. The cheese will melt and the sauce will start to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- Add the cooked fettuccine pasta to the beef Alfredo sauce and toss gently to coat it evenly. Add the reserved pasta sauce 1/4 cup at a time to loosen up the sauce if needed.
- Add the Hamburger Alfredo fettuccine to pasta bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and some extra grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!1 tbsp fresh parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beef – Ground beef with a 15% fat content works well but you can use a leaner mix as well. Breakfast sausage is a handy substitute as you can omit seasoning the meat mixture. Ground chicken, turkey, pork, or lamb can be used as well.
- Cream – Heavy cream works best but you can opt for a lighter version including half and half too. You can also substitute 1/2 of the cream with cream cheese to make a thicker sauce.
- Parmesan – Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino both work well. Use cheddar or Monterey Jack for a cheesy but less intense Alfredo flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh is best but you can substitute it with 1 tsp of garlic powder too.
- Parsley – Fresh or dried parsley add some color to the dish. Fresh thyme would work with the creamy ground beef sauce as well.
- Seasonings – I like to keep it simple and use salt and ground black pepper only but some Italian seasoning or my Mediterranean seasoning blend would work well too. You can even spice it up by adding some red pepper flakes.
- Pasta – I serve the hamburger Alfredo sauce with classic fettuccine but any long pasta shape works well with creamy sauces including spaghetti, linguine, or my handmade ribbon pasta. Shorter pasta shapes such as penne, macaroni, or bowtie pasta would work well too.
Step-by-step: Hamburger Alfredo
1. Melt the butter in olive oil in a large pan or skillet on medium-high heat.
2. Add the hamburger meat and seasonings.
3. Brown the ground beef and add minced garlic.
4. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cream and add the parmesan cheese.
5. Cook the sauce for 3-4 minutes while stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce is thick and creamy.
6. Add the cooked fettuccine pasta. Mix to combine, garnish with fresh parsley and extra parmesan, and serve immediately.
My top 5 Hamburger Alfredo sauce tips
- Juicy meat: Don’t overcook the beef or it will become dry and rubbery.
- Stir the sauce: Keep the heat low when making the sauce to create a smooth, creamy texture. Boiling the cream can make it curdle.
- Season last: Since Parmesan cheese varies in saltiness, wait until the end to season your Alfredo to avoid over-seasoning.
- Safe pasta water: Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for adjusting the sauce’s consistency if it becomes too thick after sitting for a while or reheating the dish later on.
- Complete meal: Add veggies such as bell peppers, corn, or mushrooms alongside the beef or cooked vegetables including broccoli or green beans with the pasta to create an all-in-one meal.
