Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a quick and delicious pasta dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for stressful evenings when you need something hearty. This recipe combines juicy ground beef with creamy sauce and shell pasta—a real family hit!
Ingredients
- 300 g shell pasta (medium-sized, holds sauce well)
- 500 g ground beef (80/20 for optimal flavor)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 200 ml beef broth (preferably low-fat)
- 400 ml marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 100 ml heavy cream (for creaminess)
- 100 g sour cream (for extra flavor)
- 150 g grated cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cook shell pasta in a large pot with salted water al dente, as directed on package
- Drain pasta and set aside to prevent overcooking later
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Brown the ground beef, crumbling it with a spoon and cook until done
- Drain excess fat and set beef aside
- In the same skillet, sauté onion until translucent
- Add garlic and sauté briefly
- Add flour, stir for one minute, then slowly stir in the broth
- Add marinara sauce and seasonings, bring to a boil
- Add the pasta, beef, heavy cream and sour cream to the sauce
- Stir in grated cheese until melted
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot
Notes
Choose lean ground beef for less fat. Fresh cheese melts better than pre-packaged products. Use 80/20 ground beef for best flavor but drain excess fat. Don’t overcook pasta as it will continue cooking in the sauce. If sauce gets too thick, add more broth or marinara.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg