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by Stephanie on January 26, 2021 (Updated June 14, 2021)106*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
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Creamy Beef and Shells is an easy ground beef recipe that your family will love! Serve it with Garlic Bread with Cheese for an easy Italian dinner with simple ingredients!
Be sure to try my heart Beef Vegetable Soup recipe next!
Creamy Beef and Shells
Ipromiseyou- the extra ingredients that I have listed in this recipe are all SO entirely worth the outcome. It might seem strange to have a dab of hot sauce or mustard powder in here, but theyreallycompliment and enhance the other flavors in this recipe. (And don’t skimp out on the cream cheese! It’s heavenly.)
This sauce has the perfect balance of every flavor. It’s creamy, but still has a distinct tomato flavor with a perfect ratio of ground beef and pasta.
You will be super proud of yourself when you taste it. My husband’s exact reaction: “Mmmm…. (4 seconds later)… Oh my GOSH! This is REALLY good!” -all of those flavors roll in after a few seconds and that’s what makes this recipe so great.
Okay- let’s do it!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Shred the cheese and measure out all ingredients prior to beginning. Begin heating the pasta water for boiling.
Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium-high heat. Add onions halfway through and cook until softened. Drain any grease. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp mustard powder, 1 pinch of red pepper flakes, and 3 TBS flour. Cook for one minute.
Add the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to ‘clean’ the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese. Let the sauce simmer while you boil the shells for 7-8 minutes or as instructed on package. (Optional, add a few teaspoons of kosher salt to the boiling water.)
Decrease heat to low. Stir in the half and half. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheese until well-combined.
Add the drained pasta shells and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Pro Tips
- Tomato Sauce:I useHunt’s tomato saucein this recipe,tomato passatacan also be used.
- Shred the cheese from a block. It will melt and taste much better than bagged shredded cheese, which contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping in the bag (which also makes it melt less creamy.) I use Cracker Barrel sharp yellow cheddar.
- The hot sauce enhances all of the other flavors in the dish. It won’t make it spicy. I use Texas Pete hot sauce.
- If you don’t have mustard powder or tomato paste, they can be omitted, but they do add subtle yet excellent flavor to the sauce. The tomato paste also helps to thicken the sauce.
- A variety of different pastas will work in this recipe, including rotini, farfalle (bowtie), and fusilli.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)– Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Kitchen Scale– Perfect for weighing the pasta or ground beef if needed.
- Deep 13-inch skillet– You’ll have this one forever.
- Box Grater– Always shred cheese from a block for best flavor and meltability. (Yes, that’s actually a word! 😂)
Try These Next
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Beef Tips and Gravy
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Caprese Pasta
- Beef Noodle Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
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Creamy Beef and Shells
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
5 from 37 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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Creamy Beef and Shells is an easy ground beef recipe with shell pasta smothered in a creamy and flavorful tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, 85% lean
- Salt/Pepper
- 1 small diced yellow onion, can sub 1 tsp onion powder
- 3 cloves minced garlic, can sub ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 3 Tablespoons flour, optional-helps thicken the sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon cream cheese, softened
- ½ cups half and half
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ pound medium shell pasta
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving.
Instructions
Shred the cheese and measure out all ingredients prior to beginning. Begin heating the pasta water for boiling.
Season the ground beef with salt/pepper. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the beef. Cook and crumble it for 4 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the onions are softened and the beef is cooked through. Drain grease.
Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, red pepper flakes, and flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to ‘clean’ the bottom of the skillet.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese. Let the sauce simmer while you boil the shells for 7-8 minutes or as instructed on package. (Optional, add a few teaspoons of salt to the boiling water.)
Decrease heat to low. Stir in the half and half. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheese until well-combined.
Add the drained pasta and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Shred the cheese from a block. It will melt (and taste!) much better than bagged shredded cheese, which contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping in the bag (but also makes it melt less creamy.) I use Cracker Barrel sharp yellow cheddar.
The hot sauce enhances all of the other flavors in the dish. It won’t make it spicy. I use Texas Pete hot sauce.
If you don’t have mustard powder or tomato paste, they can be omitted, but they do add subtle but excellent flavor to the sauce. The tomato paste also helps to thicken the sauce.
A variety of different pastas will work in this recipe, including rotini, farfalle (bowtie), and fusilli.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 130mg, Sodium: 1282mg, Potassium: 1051mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1154IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 399mg, Iron: 6mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie
Beef Recipes Dinner Freezer Food Italian Our Favorite Recipes Pasta Popular
posted by Stephanie on January 26, 2021 — 106 Comments »
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Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
106 comments on “Creamy Beef and Shells”
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Michele Buchanan — April 28, 2024 @ 10:37 am Reply
This was really delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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Stephanie — April 28, 2024 @ 11:41 am Reply
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it Michele, thank you so much for the review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
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Gina — April 28, 2024 @ 9:12 am Reply
The Best pasta ever eaten. Liked by whole family and friends.
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Stephanie — April 28, 2024 @ 9:49 am Reply
Wahooo! I’m so happy everyone liked it Gina! Thanks so much for the review!❤️
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Virginia — April 20, 2024 @ 4:53 pm Reply
I love all the recipes I have made from you. I can’t figure out what I’m tasting in the sauce, maybe the hot sauce? Whatever it is, I LOVE it!!!
Thank you. ❤️
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Stephanie — April 20, 2024 @ 9:36 pm Reply
I’m so happy that you love it! I think you’re tasting the balance of ingredients combined together, they work in perfect harmony! 🙂 Thank you so much!!
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Virginia — April 21, 2024 @ 7:42 am
I don’t know what I’m tasting but I love it!
I’m wondering if you have a marinara sauce? I like the one I buy but if it can be homemade and more flavorful I’d make it.
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Stephanie — April 21, 2024 @ 9:42 am
Happy to hear you’re enjoying it Virginia! I do have a Marinara Sauce, Check it out: https://thecozycook.com/homemade-marinara-sauce/
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sandra johnson — April 20, 2024 @ 9:52 am Reply
creamy beef n shells, dynamite recipe, have to have help to put it all together, sounds so decilious !!!!!!
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Stephanie — April 20, 2024 @ 10:22 am Reply
Thanks so much Sandra! My daughter loves this one!🩷
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Katie Davis — April 8, 2024 @ 10:21 pm Reply
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but I felt the need to with this one. It was very flavorful. I love how you use random, unexpected ingredients in recipes. Worcestershire and hot sauce in pasta? Yep! So good! And I caught my husband eating leftovers out of the pan while I was cleaning up!
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Stephanie — April 9, 2024 @ 9:06 am Reply
Thanks so much for the great comments Katie! I love that you appreciate the subtle flavor enhancers. I always love catching my husband going for the leftovers, that’s how I know I got a winner! Thanks again💖
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Becki — February 13, 2024 @ 7:57 pm Reply
This was awesome! We both loved it, but I added mushrooms because I had them.
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Stephanie — February 13, 2024 @ 8:06 pm Reply
I’m so happy you guys loved it Becki! Mushrooms are the perfect addition. I wish I could add them but I’m dealing with a bunch of mushroom wimps in my family!🤣
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Michella — December 20, 2023 @ 2:13 pm Reply
This came out so darn good!
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Stephanie — December 20, 2023 @ 3:42 pm Reply
I am sooo happy to hear that Michella! Thank you so much for the review, you’re the BEST! 🙂 -Stephanie
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Brigit — October 28, 2023 @ 8:50 pm Reply
We made it and loved it! Also added some spinach and bell peppers. Delicious!
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Stephanie — October 28, 2023 @ 9:17 pm Reply
I’m so happy that you loved it Brigit!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!! -Stephanie 🙂
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Dena Long — October 22, 2023 @ 9:33 pm Reply
Super yummy comfort food. My husband said, “Wow this is good!” Thanks for helping me score points in the kitchen!
And it really does make a difference to bring dairy to room temperature before adding to hot liquids-I’m glad you’ve pointed that out.
Thanks for the great recipes- I’ve made several. 😁-
Stephanie — October 23, 2023 @ 9:17 am Reply
It’s my pleasure Dena! I’m so happy you’re scoring some points in the kitchen, nice work! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😃
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