Creamy Tuscan Chili Mac (Printer View)

Italian-inspired pasta with beef, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a Parmesan cream sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or small pasta

→ Meats

02 - 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
06 - 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy and Cream

07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
15 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Method Steps:

01 - Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
04 - Add the ground beef or Italian sausage. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and cheese is melted.
08 - Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
09 - Gently fold in the cooked pasta. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
10 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes, making weeknight dinner feel less like a chore and more like a small victory.
  • The combination of sun-dried tomatoes and heavy cream creates a sauce so silky it feels luxurious, even though you're really just cooking at home in your regular clothes.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which honestly might be the real reason this became my favorite.
02 -
  • Drain your pasta one minute before you think it's done, because it will finish cooking in the hot sauce and continuing to cook in the pot before you fold it in means mushy pasta by the time you eat it.
  • Add the cream slowly and stir constantly, because if you dump it in all at once and stop stirring, you risk the tomatoes breaking the emulsion and creating a separated, broken-looking sauce instead of something creamy.
03 -
  • If your sauce seems too thick when you fold in the pasta, loosen it with a splash of broth or pasta water because the pasta will absorb more liquid as it sits.
  • Make this ahead and reheat it gently with a splash of cream, because the flavors actually get better overnight as everything gets to know each other.
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