Description
Creamy Pasta Shells with Ground Beef is the ultimate comfort food, combining savory ground beef, tender pasta shells, and a luxuriously cheesy sauce. Perfect for family dinners or busy weeknights, this quick and satisfying dish is sure to become a household favorite.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Medium pasta shells (8 ounces)
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- Ground beef (1 pound)
- Sweet onion, diced (1/2 medium)
- Garlic, minced (2 cloves)
- Italian seasoning (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- All-purpose flour (2 tablespoons)
- Beef stock (2 cups)
- Tomato sauce (1 15-ounce can)
- Heavy cream (3/4 cup)
- Extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces or 1 1/2 cups)
Seasonings
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions.
- Drain and set aside.
- Brown the Ground Beef
- Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and cook for 3–5 minutes, breaking it up as it browns.
- Drain excess fat and set the beef aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics
- In the same skillet, cook the diced onion for 2–3 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the Sauce
- Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and whisk for about 1 minute until lightly browned.
- Gradually pour in beef stock, whisking to prevent lumps.
- Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Combine and Cook
- Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet and mix well.
- Add cooked pasta shells and heavy cream, stirring to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the Cheese
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the mixture.
- Stir for about 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve
- Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and enjoy while hot.
Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese for the best melt and texture.
- For less richness, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk.
- Medium pasta shells are ideal, but penne or rigatoni also work well
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American