Italian · Serves 2
with Beef & Zucchini Ragù plus Parmesan Cheese
Trying to get in more veggies at dinner? We’ve got just the thing! You’ll grate zucchini and swirl the shreds into an Italian-seasoned tomato sauce. The mild veg merges into the beefy sauce without changing the flavor—the perfect way to sneak in some green! The creamy ragù is tossed with penne and sprinkled with Parmesan for a delicious quick-to-the-table dinner.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (1½ cups for 4 servings), then drain.
Meanwhile, wash and dry produce.
Halve, peel, and finely dice shallot. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Trim and grate zucchini on the largest holes of a box grater.
Place zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather into a tight bundle and squeeze over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. TIP: Alternatively, place grated zucchini in a fine-mesh strainer and press down with a spatula.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef*, shallot, Italian Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and mostly cooked through, 3-5 minutes (it’ll finish cooking in the next step).
Add tomato paste to pan with beef. Cook, stirring, until tomato paste is well combined and beef is cooked through, 1-2 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, garlic, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until zucchini is tender, 2-3 minutes.
Stir in PHILADELPHIA® Cream Cheese, stock concentrate, ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (ladle straight from the pot if pasta isn’t finished cooking yet), and ½ tsp sugar (for 4 servings, use 2⁄3 cup pasta cooking water and 1 tsp sugar). Simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. TIP: If you’ve got some on hand, add a pinch of chili flakes from your pantry for a spicy kick.
Reduce heat to medium low. Stir drained penne, half the Parmesan, and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) into pan with sauce until combined. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.
Divide pasta between plates or bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan and serve.
Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160º.
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