Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a comforting, hearty pasta dish featuring ground beef simmered in a flavorful tomato and cream sauce, combined with tender medium shell pasta and plenty of shredded cheddar cheese. Enhanced with a hint of hot sauce and Worcestershire, this rich and cheesy skillet meal is perfect for a satisfying 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
Spices and Seasonings
- 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 Cheese
- 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 and measure out all ingredients to have them ready. Begin heating a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
- Cook beef and onions: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef, and cook while crumbling for 4 minutes. Add diced onions and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the onions soften and beef is fully cooked. Drain excess grease.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, red pepper flakes if using, and optional flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to combine and toast the flour slightly.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape and clean the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese. Stir and let the sauce simmer gently while you cook the pasta.
- Cook pasta: Add the medium shell pasta to the boiling water. Optionally, add a few teaspoons of salt to the water. Boil the pasta for 8 minutes or according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Finish sauce: Reduce the heat on the skillet to low. Stir in the half and half into the sauce. Remove the skillet from heat and gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until melted and fully combined into a creamy sauce.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir well to coat the shells evenly with the creamy beef sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish the dish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread topped with cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an extra indulgent touch.
Notes
- Shred the cheddar cheese from a block for better melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese containing anti-caking agents.
- Hot sauce adds depth and enhances flavors without making the dish spicy. Texas Pete is recommended.
- Mustard powder and tomato paste add subtle complexity and help thicken the sauce but can be omitted if needed.
- Other pasta shapes like rotini, farfalle, or fusilli can be used as substitutes for medium shells.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
