One of our favourite weeknight dinners has got to be this Creamy Beef Shells recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes! Read on for the recipe!
By now you must know that I am 100% team pasta. Mainly because it just tastes so good- but also because my kids love it. It’s also so easy to put together with whatever you have in the fridge.
I’m always looking for ways to get the boys to eat a little more protein so I loved the idea of adding beef to a creamy pasta that I was certain they would love. And let me tell you, they did. More importantly, so did their dad and mom. It’s hearty, comforting and exactly what you think of when someone says easy creamy beef shells!
It comes together so quickly, which makes it great for those busy school nights.
There’s lots of renditions of this recipe on the internet- but what I love about this one is the inclusion of sour cream at the end. I feel like it gives it a silky smooth finish that helps the sauce coat the pasta .
Now you could add tons of things to this pasta- chopped veggies certainly would be great, maybe some zucchini or carrots even. I opted for the no veggie approach but next time I’ll try to add something in! Green peppers would also be a great addition that wouldn’t take away from the taste of the sauce.
With recipes that are so simple, my key is to always use great ingredients- in this case I made sure to use good quality ground beef and I grated the cheddar myself. Lots of garlic is also a must for me!
The only thing to be aware of is that you really need to drain your pasta well with shells! If there’s water stuck in the shells, it will dilute your sauce a bit. Drain, drain and drain!
Read on for the recipe!
Easy Creamy Beef Shells
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp flour
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3/4 cup cooking cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, warm up oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
- Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Toss in seasonings and coat well. Add flour to onion mixture and stir till well incorporated. *If you feel like there isn't enough oil at any point in this process, feel free to add more. It will depend on how lean your ground beef was.
- Pour in tomato sauce and broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes until sauce slightly reduces. Add in your cooked pasta and ground beef and mix well. Pour in your cooking cream and cream cheese. Stir everything together until heated throughout. Add cheddar cheese on top, lightly stir till melted.
- Serve immediately.
Other pastas we love for a quick weekday meal include this casserole and also this healthier turkey ragu!!
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