Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring ground beef cooked with aromatic onions and garlic, simmered in a rich tomato and cream cheese sauce, then combined with tender shell pasta and melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb. ground beef, 85% lean
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves minced garlic
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 flour (optional, helps thicken the sauce)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Dairy and Pasta
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ pound medium shell pasta
Garnishes
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Shred the cheddar cheese from a block and measure out all ingredients before beginning. Bring a large pot of 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 and add the beef. Cook and crumble for 4 minutes until browned.
- Add Onions: Add diced onion to the skillet and cook together with the beef for 5 more minutes until onions are softened and beef is fully cooked. Drain excess grease from the skillet.
- Sauté Garlic: Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Add Seasonings and Flour: Stir in hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, red pepper flakes if using, and the optional flour to help thicken the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape and clean the bottom of the skillet, loosening any browned bits for flavor.
- Mix Tomato Ingredients and Cream Cheese: Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese to the skillet. Stir well and allow the sauce to simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the shell pasta in salted water for 7 to 8 minutes or according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Finish Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half and half. Remove the skillet from heat and gradually stir in shredded cheddar cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir well to coat the shells evenly with the creamy beef sauce.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Optionally, serve alongside garlic bread with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- Shred cheese from a block for better melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese, which contains additives that reduce creaminess.
- The hot sauce enhances the overall flavor without making the dish spicy; Texas Pete is a recommended choice.
- Mustard powder and tomato paste add depth and help thicken the sauce but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Different types of pasta like rotini, farfalle (bowtie), or fusilli can be used as an alternative to shell pasta.
- Drain excess grease from cooked beef to avoid a greasy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
