Easy Creamy Cowboy Butter Ground Beef and Noodles
Tender egg noodles and seasoned ground beef are tossed in a creamy cowboy butter sauce with garlic, Parmesan, Dijon, lemon, and a little heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles until just al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Brown the ground beef and onion in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Break the beef into small crumbles. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the garlic, butter, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to low and stir until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Add the cooked egg noodles and toss until coated.
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not overcook the egg noodles; they soften more once added to the sauce.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts best and keeps the sauce smooth.
- Add mushrooms with the onion, or stir in spinach just before serving.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of beef broth, milk, or cream.
- This recipe is best fresh and is not recommended for freezing.