Creamy Zucchini Beef Ragù Spaghetti: a 20-Minute Weeknight Dinner

This creamy beef ragù spaghetti is the ultimate quick comfort meal. With lean ground beef, a silky tomato sauce and grated zucchini that melts right in, it’s a clever way to sneak in extra veggies without anyone noticing. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need a hearty, satisfying dinner fast.

The sauce comes together beautifully with cream cheese and sour cream, giving it a luscious texture that coats every strand of spaghetti. A sprinkle of Parmesan on top adds a salty, nutty finish. Trust us-this one will become a regular in your dinner rotation.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Tuscan Heat SpiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce SpaghettiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce Marinara SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (Cover the pot with a lid to speed up the process.) Meanwhile, wash and dry the zucchini, then grate it on the largest holes of a box grater.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, Tuscan Heat Spice, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes. Add the grated zucchini and tomato paste; cook, stirring, until the zucchini is tender and the beef is cooked through, 2-3 minutes more. Stir in the marinara sauce, chicken stock concentrate and ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, half the Parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat. If needed, add more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Divide between plates or shallow bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Absolutely! This ragù works well with any long pasta like fettuccine or linguine or even short shapes like penne or rigatoni.

How do I make this recipe dairy-free?

Replace the cream cheese and sour cream with dairy-free alternatives and use a plant-based butter or omit it. The sauce will still be delicious.

Can I prep the zucchini ahead of time?

Yes, you can grate the zucchini up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Pat it dry before using to avoid excess moisture.