Garlic Ground Beef & Spinach with Cheese Tortellini

This is a super easy weeknight meal (less than 30 minutes) and was a big hit with the entire family! This is not a heavy creamy dish. There will be a little beef broth in dish if you're serving right away but by next day, that pasta will have soaked it up and it will still be great. I imagine this would be amazing with a little cream cheese added to sauce to thicken. But it's good as is and less rich. If you use refrigerated tortellini then add it to simmering sauce until it cooks through.

1 lb (450g) ground beef

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 package (20 oz) frozen cheese tortellini

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional) or dried

 

Cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Once done, drain the pasta & save about a cup of the cooking water.  While tortellini cooks, brown the beef, breaking it apart with your spatula as it cooks. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes & garlic. Stir for a minute. Pour in the broth and pasta water. Let the mixture come to a gentle simmer. Add butter & stir. Add in spinach, parmesan cheese & parsley.  Serve.