Rigatoni with Beef & Zucchini Ragù
plus Parmesan Cheese
- Wheat
- Milk
Trying to get in more veggies at dinner? We’ve got just the thing! In this quick-cooking pasta dish, 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, making it the perfect way to sneak in some green! The creamy ragù is tossed with rigatoni and topped with Parmesan for a surprisingly produce-packed pasta dinner that's pretty darn delicious.
Ingredients
6 ounce
Rigatoni Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
1 unit
Shallot
1 clove
Garlic
1 unit
Zucchini
10 ounce
Ground Beef
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
1.5 ounce
Tomato Paste
4 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Beef Stock Concentrate
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
Not included in your delivery
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
½ teaspoon
Sugar
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (1 1⁄2 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 cream cheese, stock concentrate, 1⁄2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (ladle straight from the pot if pasta isn’t finished cooking yet), and 1⁄2 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 rigatoni, 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. Top with remaining Parmesan and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many enjoyed the rich, creamy taste; some found it a bit bland and wanted more tomato flavor or seasoning.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, with simple instructions that even kids could help follow.
- Suggestions: Consider adding extra herbs, garlic, or chili flakes for more flavor; some preferred smaller pasta shapes.
- Portions: Generous servings; many found it enough for leftovers or to feed more than expected.
- Veggies: Grated zucchini was a clever way to incorporate vegetables, though some preferred larger pieces.
