Heat your avocado oil in a large skillet (I use a 12-inch) over medium-high heat until you see a shimmer across the surface, about 1 minute. Add your ground beef, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. Let it sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes first—this develops a nice brown crust instead of gray, steamed meat. Then continue breaking it apart and stirring occasionally until no pink remains, roughly 5-6 minutes total. You should smell that savory, beefy aroma filling your kitchen.

Once the beef is fully cooked, add your finely chopped onion directly to the skillet. Stir everything together and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion pieces become translucent and soft. They should release their sweetness into the beef—you'll notice the mixture smells less raw and more developed.

Add the tomato paste, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, sugar, and black pepper all at once. Stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes. This is called "blooming" the spices, and it's the secret to deep flavor. You'll see the mixture become more fragrant and the tomato paste darken slightly as it toasts. Don't skip this step—it transforms simple spices into a cohesive, complex base.

Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir for about 1 minute until the flour is completely incorporated and no dry bits remain. (If you're making this gluten-free, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in ¼ cup of the beef broth first, then add that mixture instead.) Pour in the whole milk and beef broth slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The mixture should come together smoothly—this is your sauce base.

Stir in the dried whole wheat elbow pasta, making sure each piece gets coated with the liquid. The skillet will look quite full, but that's perfect—the pasta will absorb the liquid as it cooks. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 2-3 minutes. You'll see larger bubbles breaking the surface. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid (or even a baking sheet in a pinch), and simmer for 10-12 minutes9 minutes. The pasta should be tender but still have a slight bite, and the sauce should have thickened slightly.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in your shredded Cheddar cheese until completely melted and incorporated, about 1 minute. The residual heat will melt the cheese beautifully without breaking the sauce. Serve immediately while hot and creamy. A light sprinkle of fresh parsley adds color and freshness if you have it on hand, but it's completely optional.