1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary, but leave a little for flavor.
4. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika over the beef mixture. Stir well to coat evenly and cook for an additional 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the softened cream cheese to the skillet, stirring constantly until melted and combined with the beef.
6. Slowly pour in the milk (or half-and-half), stirring until the sauce is smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
7. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
8. Add the drained bowtie pasta to the skillet, tossing gently to coat every piece in the luscious sauce. Warm through for 1-2 minutes so the flavors marry.
9. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

From my experience, the key to a silky sauce is low heat and constant stirring once you add the cream cheese, so don’t rush it—patience pays off. Also, keeping a little pasta water aside is a trick I picked up early on, back when I was patching up that oversalted chili. It’s a simple way to adjust sauce consistency without diluting flavor.