Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the beef is no longer pink and has developed some light browning. Once cooked through, add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder directly to the beef, stirring well to coat all the meat evenly. This coating of spices will adhere better to the warm meat. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the seasoned beef and stir for about 30 seconds to coat it thoroughly—the cornstarch will help thicken the sauce later and creates a light coating on the meat.

Transfer the seasoned beef to a clean plate and set aside. Pour the beef broth, milk, and Worcestershire sauce into the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—these contain concentrated flavor. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. I like to let this liquid come to a rolling boil before adding the pasta so the pasta cooks evenly and absorbs the flavors properly.

Add the egg pasta directly to the boiling liquid and stir to separate the noodles. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. The pasta should be just tender but still have a slight bite to it—it will continue cooking slightly when the soup is added.

Return the cooked beef from Step 1 to the skillet with the pasta. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, mixing until everything is well combined and the cream incorporates smoothly into the sauce. Add the paprika and stir gently to distribute the color and flavor throughout the dish. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. I find that letting it sit for a minute after cooking helps the cream and broth emulsify into a silky sauce rather than looking separated.