Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a comforting one-pan meal combining browned ground beef with a rich, tomato-based cream sauce and tender shell pasta. Enhanced with cheddar cheese and a hint of spice from hot sauce and red pepper flakes, this hearty dish is perfect for a satisfying family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb. ground beef, 85% lean
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
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 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
- 1 ½ 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 better melt and flavor. Measure out all ingredients and begin heating water to boil the pasta.
- Cook Beef and Onions: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef, and cook, crumbling it, for about 4 minutes. Add diced onions and continue cooking for 5 minutes until onions soften and beef is cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Incorporate Seasonings: Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, red pepper flakes if using, and flour if using. Cook the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes to combine flavors and slightly thicken.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in beef broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom of the skillet, loosening any browned bits. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese until sauce is smooth. Allow it to simmer gently.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, boil medium shell pasta in salted water for 8 minutes or according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well.
- Finish Sauce: Reduce heat to low and stir in half and half. Remove skillet from heat and gradually mix in shredded cheddar cheese until fully incorporated into a creamy sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir thoroughly to coat pasta evenly with the creamy beef sauce.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread topped with cheese and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- Shredding cheese from a block enhances melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese which contains anti-caking agents.
- Hot sauce amplifies the dish’s flavors without making it spicy; Texas Pete hot sauce is recommended.
- Mustard powder and tomato paste add subtle depth to the sauce but can be omitted if unavailable.
- You can substitute medium shell pasta with rotini, farfalle (bowtie), or fusilli.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
