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Our Creamy Beef and Shells is an easy ground beef recipe that will satisfy even the pickiest eater and will be on the dinner table in under 30 minutes. Super easy weeknight dinner!
This comfort food recipe is easy and delicious. It’s the perfect meal for anyone who loves cheeseburgers and macaroni and cheese (but all in one pan!)
Creamy Beef and Shells Recipe
We all know how hectic getting dinner on the table can be. That is why I love to bring you all easy recipes. The challenge though is finding easy recipes that my kids will love (or even just like).
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Or I should say pasta dinner!
Pasta dishes are always a hit in our house, but sometimes I feel like changing things up beyond the typical spaghetti and meat sauce.
This creamy beef and shells dinner recipe is just the change we were looking for.
Pasta shells tossed in a creamy and cheesy tomato sauce with garlic and paprika and some other delicious Italian spices! It is the perfect weeknight comfort food recipe.
Do you remember Hamburger Helper? We used to have that as kids growing up. It reminds me of a version of that, except it is fresh, homemade and beyond delicious! 
Ingredients
Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you. The majority of them are spices that you probably already have in your pantry. If you don’t, you will buy them once and use them forever!
Trust me, this quick and easy recipe is worth the investment in stocking your spices!
- Medium pasta shells
- Olive oil
- Ground beef (I like to buy lean ground beef or Piedmontese beef)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Paprika
- Mustard powder
- Flour
- Beef stock
- Tomato sauce
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- Extra-sharp cheddar cheese
How to Make Beef and Shells
- BOIL the pasta (according to directions on the package)
- BROWN ground beef in a large skillet, drain and set aside.
- COOK onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and mustard powder in the skillet
- WHISK in the flour, beef stock and tomato sauce.
- BOIL, simmer and thicken.
- STIR in pasta, beef, and heavy cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese until melted.
(For the detailed Beef and Shells recipe and step-by-step details, see the printable recipe card below)
Recipe Variations
MEAT: As I mentioned, you can use leaner ground beef. We also like to make this dish with ground turkey or ground chicken.
VEGETARIAN: If you are looking for a vegetarian pasta recipe, just leave out the meat altogether! The sauce is delicious without the meat and you can use a vegetarian stock to replace the beef stock!
VEGETABLES: Make this a complete meal by adding in some veggies. We love broccoli, asparagus and peppers, but any of your favorites will work perfectly!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
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Creamy Beef and Shells
Our Creamy Beef and Shells is an easy ground beef recipe that will satisfy even the pickiest eater and will be on the dinner table in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 15-ounce jar tomato sauce
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups)
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain well
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown, about 3-5 minutes, crumbling the ground beef. Drain excess fat and set aside
- Add onion to the skillet, cook stirring frequently until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika and mustard powder, cook about 1 minute
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute
- Gradually whisk in beef stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced and slightly thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in pasta, beef and heavy cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in cheese until melted.
Recipe Video
Nutrition per serving
Originally posted 9/6/19
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