Description
Comfort meets culinary delight in this creamy beef and shells masterpiece, blending rich ground beef with perfectly tender pasta. Cheese-laden shells deliver hearty satisfaction, promising a quick, delicious meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
Pasta and Base:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) shell pasta
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) beef broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
Herbs, Spices, and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Sizzle ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly browned, crumbling meat with a wooden spoon.
- Incorporate finely chopped onions and garlic, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until vegetables become translucent and fragrant.
- Pour in diced tomatoes, rich beef broth, luxurious heavy cream, and aromatic Italian seasoning. Reduce heat and allow sauce to gently simmer and thicken for approximately 5 minutes.
- Simultaneously, prepare shell pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain pasta thoroughly, reserving a small amount of cooking liquid.
- Fold cooked pasta into the savory beef sauce, ensuring each shell is generously coated with the creamy mixture.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese into the skillet, stirring until cheese melts completely and creates a silky texture.
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant, herbaceous finish before serving the dish hot.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and create a lighter dish without compromising flavor.
- Experiment with different pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne if shells are unavailable or for variety.
- Consider adding sautéed bell peppers or mushrooms for extra nutrition and depth of flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute regular pasta with gluten-free shell pasta and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free certified.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg