Pasta with Creamy-Spicy Meat Sauce

Creamy, beefy, spicy... That's the best way to describe this amazing Bolognese-style sauce. The rich meat sauce is spiked with hot peppers and then finished with cream. The cream balances the heat, creates a silky sauce, and provides just enough fat for a luxurious mouthfeel (but not enough for gluttony). You need this in your life.

My boys went wild for this dish. There wasn't a drop of sauce left... which made cleanup a breeze! I think what sets this dish apart is the combination of heat and cream. Usually you see recipes that deliver one or the other, not both. And there are two types of heat used in the dish - liquid hot sauce during cooking, and crushed red pepper flakes for serving. That means, YOU control the amount of heat in your own serving!

About the pasta: Any shape works here. I had gorgeous, shell-shaped pasta on hand, but spirals, penne, bowties, and spaghetti would also be amazing.

Want a gluten-free dish? Serve this amazing sauce over rice, quinoa or mashed potatoes!

Pasta with Creamy-Spicy Meat Sauce

1 pound pasta of choice
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and ground black pepper
2-2 1/2 cups tomato sauce, from a carton or can
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce of choice
1/4 cup heavy cream
Grated parmesan cheese for serving
Crushed red pepper flakes for serving

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat. Add the oregano, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Add 2 cups of the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you like a thinner sauce, add another 1/2 cup of tomato sauce.
Stir in the cream and simmer for 1 minute. Serve the sauce over the pasta and top with the parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.
Serves 4