Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a comforting and hearty one-pan meal featuring ground beef simmered in a rich tomato and cream sauce, combined with tender shell pasta and melted cheddar cheese. This easy-to-make dish blends savory spices, a touch of heat from hot sauce, and creamy textures for a satisfying family-friendly dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
Seasonings and Sauces
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional, helps thicken sauce)
Liquids and Dairy
- 1 cup beef broth
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup half and half
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pasta and Garnishes
- ½ pound medium shell pasta
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Shred the cheddar cheese from a block for the best melting quality. Dice the onion and mince the garlic if using fresh. Measure out all other ingredients and bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
- Cook Ground Beef: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula until browned.
- Sauté Onions: Add the diced onions to the skillet and cook with the beef for an additional 5 minutes until onions are softened and beef is fully cooked. Drain excess grease from the pan.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Seasonings and Flour: Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, red pepper flakes if using, and the flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to blend flavors and allow the flour to cook.
- Deglaze and Simmer Sauce: Pour in the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Then add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and cream cheese. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer on medium heat.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, add the shell pasta to the boiling water and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or as directed on the package until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Finish the Sauce: Reduce the skillet heat to low, stir in the half and half. Remove the skillet from heat and gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until melted and sauce is creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir well to coat the shells with the creamy beef sauce.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and optional garlic bread on the side.
Notes
- Shredding cheese from a block results in better melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese, which contains additives that inhibit melting.
- The hot sauce enhances flavor complexity without making the dish spicy; Texas Pete brand is recommended.
- If mustard powder or tomato paste are unavailable, they can be omitted but do add subtle flavor and help thicken the sauce.
- Other pasta shapes like rotini, farfalle, or fusilli can be used as alternatives to medium shells.
- Add a few teaspoons of salt to the pasta boiling water to season the pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
