Ingredients
• 8 oz fettuccine or rigatoni (or chickpea pasta for +10g protein; zucchini noodles for low-carb)
• 1 lb lean ground beef (85/15)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
• 1¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated, for depth)
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 tbsp lemon juice, chopped parsley, or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente. Drain. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- In a large skillet, brown beef over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat. Remove beef; set aside.
- In same skillet, melt butter over medium. Sauté garlic 1 min—don’t brown!
- Pour in cream; simmer 3–4 mins until slightly thickened.
- Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in Parmesan until smooth and velvety. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Return beef and cooked pasta to skillet. Toss to coat. If too thick, add reserved pasta water 1 tbsp at a time.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.
PREP TIME & NUTRITION :
Prep Time: 5 mins, Cook Time: 20 mins, Total Time: 25 mins, Servings: 6
Calories: 540, Net Carbs: 32g, Fats: 36g, Protein: 28g
✅ Keto-friendly with zucchini noodles — net carbs drop to ~7g/serving.