Save My neighbor Marco showed up at my door one Tuesday evening with a jar of sun-dried tomatoes from his garden and a challenge: make something that tasted like his nonna's kitchen but felt entirely new. That night, standing in front of my stove with ground beef sizzling and cream waiting to transform everything, I realized I was about to create something that would become my go-to comfort meal. This Creamy Tuscan Chili Mac is what happened when I stopped trying to choose between Italian elegance and American heartiness, and just let both live in the same bowl.
I made this for my sister's book club night when she texted an hour before asking if I could help with food, and watching six people go quiet mid-conversation to focus on their bowls told me everything I needed to know. Someone asked for the recipe before dessert even arrived, and now it shows up at potlucks more often than I'd expect for something so simple.
Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni or small pasta (12 oz): The shape matters more than you'd think because it catches the creamy sauce in all those little curves, making every bite satisfying rather than sauce-less.
- Ground beef or Italian sausage (1 lb): Sausage adds more flavor from the start, but ground beef works if that's what you have, and honestly the final result won't disappoint either way.
- Yellow onion (1 small, diced): Dicing it small means it dissolves into the sauce rather than showing up as chunks, which is exactly what you want here.
- Garlic (3 cloves, minced): Fresh garlic transforms from sharp to mellow once it hits the hot oil, so don't skip the mincing step even though it feels tedious.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil (1 cup, chopped): Save that oil they come in and use it for cooking, because you're literally throwing away concentrated flavor otherwise.
- Baby spinach (4 cups, roughly chopped): It wilts down to almost nothing, so don't worry about the volume looking intimidating at first.
- Heavy cream (1 cup): This is what makes the sauce creamy rather than just tomatoey, so don't try to substitute milk unless you enjoy disappointment.
- Parmesan cheese (1 cup, grated): Grate it fresh if you can, because pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that keep the sauce from getting as smooth and glossy.
- Crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz can): Use good quality if your budget allows, because the sauce relies on tomato flavor as its foundation.
- Chicken or vegetable broth (2 cups): Low-sodium matters because you're adding salty cheese and will season at the end anyway.
- Tomato paste (2 tbsp): This concentrated burst of tomato flavor is what stops the dish from tasting one-dimensional.
- Olive oil (2 tbsp): Use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes as part of this if you want the flavor to sing.
- Dried oregano and basil (1 tsp each): These Italian herbs are the backbone of the flavor profile, so measure them properly rather than shaking them in.
- Crushed red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): Just a whisper of heat that doesn't overpower but makes your taste buds wake up.
- Salt and black pepper: Season at the end when you can actually taste what you're working with, because early seasoning often leads to over-salting.
Instructions
- Get your pasta started:
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil, then add your pasta and cook until it's just barely tender, about 2 minutes before the package says it's done. This matters because the pasta will keep cooking when you fold it into the hot sauce, and you don't want it turning mushy.
- Build your flavor base:
- Heat olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the diced onion and let it soften and turn translucent, which takes about 3 minutes and fills your kitchen with the smell of something good about to happen. Once it's soft, add the minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute until the raw edge disappears.
- Brown your meat:
- Add the ground beef or sausage to the pot, breaking it apart with your wooden spoon as it cooks until there's no pink left and it's completely browned, usually about 5 to 7 minutes. If there's a pool of fat on top, drain some of it off, but don't go crazy because you need some fat to carry flavor.
- Wake up the tomato flavors:
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the herbs smell incredibly fragrant. This step is worth the 2 minutes because you're developing depth rather than just mixing raw ingredients.
- Add your liquid base:
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, stirring well to combine everything, then bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors start getting acquainted. You'll notice the sauce starting to look less watery and more intentional.
- Make it creamy:
- Lower the heat slightly and slowly stir in the heavy cream, watching as it transforms the sauce from tomatoey to silky and luxurious, then add the Parmesan cheese and stir until it's completely melted and incorporated. The cheese will seem to disappear into the cream, creating something smooth and cohesive.
- Wilt in the spinach:
- Add the chopped spinach and stir for about 1 minute until it's completely wilted and bright green, which happens faster than you'd expect. The spinach adds nutrition and a subtle earthiness that balances the richness of the cream.
- Bring it all together:
- Gently fold in your cooked pasta, being careful not to break it, then simmer everything together for 2 to 3 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce flavors. Taste and adjust salt and pepper until it tastes exactly like you want it to.
- Serve with joy:
- Ladle it into bowls and add a generous sprinkle of extra Parmesan on top, because everyone deserves that little luxury.
Save There's a moment, right after the cream hits the hot tomato sauce and the whole pot transforms into something glossy and golden, where cooking feels like actual magic. My partner walked in during that exact moment once, took one smell, and declared he was staying for dinner instead of meeting friends, which is how I knew I'd created something worth repeating.
The Secret of Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are intensity in concentrated form, and most people either skip them or wonder why they're worth the expense until they taste what they do to a dish like this. That deep, almost jammy flavor adds complexity that regular canned tomatoes simply can't provide, making your sauce taste like you've been simmering it for hours when you've really only spent 25 minutes. The oil they come in is liquid gold for cooking, carrying all those concentrated flavors into your base, so using it instead of plain olive oil is the difference between a good sauce and one people ask about.
Why Cream and Tomato Actually Work Together
The combination sounds fancy but it's actually based on pure chemistry: the acidity of tomatoes plays beautifully against the richness of cream, and neither one dominates when you get the balance right. What makes this work instead of tasting curdled or separated is the Parmesan cheese, which acts as an emulsifier and helps bind everything into a sauce that's both creamy and tomatoey without any weird separation. That's also why stirring matters and why you can't just dump everything in and walk away.
Making It Your Own
This recipe is honestly a starting point, not a rulebook, and some of my best versions have come from minor changes based on what was in my fridge. I've added roasted red peppers, swapped in different pasta shapes, thrown in a pinch of nutmeg because someone mentioned it would enhance the creaminess, and every single version has been delicious in its own way. The beauty of a one-pot dish like this is how forgiving it is, because you're combining flavors bold enough to handle a little improvisation.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the meat entirely and use vegetable broth instead of chicken, and you'll still have a rich, satisfying dish.
- Substitute fresh basil for half the dried basil if you have it, adding it at the very end so it stays bright and vibrant.
- A pinch of nutmeg stirred in with the cream creates an almost imperceptible sweetness that makes people ask what makes this taste so good.
Save This dish has become my answer to the question of what to make when I want comfort without effort, and somehow it tastes elegant enough to serve to people you're trying to impress. That's really all you need to know to understand why it keeps happening in my kitchen.
Common Questions
- → Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes, simply omit the ground beef or sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. The dish remains hearty and satisfying thanks to the pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy Parmesan sauce.
- → What pasta works best?
Elbow macaroni is traditional, but any small pasta shape like shells, penne, or rotini works wonderfully. These shapes catch the creamy sauce and hold up well during cooking.
- → Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Heavy cream provides the richest texture, but half-and-half or whole milk can be substituted. The sauce will be slightly thinner, though still delicious. Avoid using skim milk as it won't provide the same creamy consistency.
- → How do I store leftovers?
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to restore the creamy texture.
- → Can I freeze this dish?
Yes, this freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- → How can I make it spicier?
Increase the crushed red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon, or add diced jalapeños when sautéing the onions. Spicy Italian sausage instead of mild also adds great heat and flavor.