October 30, 2023
Review RecipeCreamy Beef and Shells
Make this simple creamy beef and shells recipe as a one-pan easy dinner recipe that’s like the hamburger helper but much tastier.
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These creamy beef and shells are a delicious comfort food-style recipe that puts a homemade spin on boxed pasta dishes. Packed full of seasoned ground beef, tender shells, and a cheesy tomato sauce, it is quick, hearty, and easy to make.
If you have some ground beef left and want another creamy pasta dinner, you could try ground beef stroganoff. Or, if using the pasta shells inspired you to try more pasta shapes, make these stuffed shells with the giant version.
Creamy Beef And Shells Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 8 ounces medium shell pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 1½ cups
- Salt and pepper to taste
PRO TIP:
Shred your cheese from the block rather than buying pre-shredded for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it and doesn’t melt quite as well as freshly shredded cheese.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
GROUND BEEF: For a change to the recipe, you could use diced Italian sausage in place of the ground beef. You could also use different ground meat such as ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
SPICY: If you don’t like things too spicy, you may want to reduce the paprika a little.
CHEESE: If you don’t have cheddar cheese ready, you can use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or any other cheese that melts well. You could even use a Mexican blend cheese for a spicier version. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top to complete the dish.
CREAM: If you don’t have heavy cream, half and half or milk will also work in a pinch.
How To Make This Creamy Beef And Shells Recipe
STEP ONE: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain well.
PRO TIP:
To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
STEP TWO: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, crumbling the ground beef. Drain excess fat and set it aside.
PRO TIP:
Ground beef can be batch-cooked ahead of time and kept in the freezer until you are ready to use it in a recipe. This is a great time saver.
STEP THREE: Add diced onion to the skillet, cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and mustard powder and then cook for about 1 minute.
STEP FIVE: Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
STEP SIX: Gradually whisk in beef stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer. Stir occasionally until reduced and slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
STEP SEVEN: Stir in pasta, beef, and heavy cream and heat through.
STEP EIGHT: Stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
STEP NINE: Garnish with fresh parsley and extra cheese if you’d like. Serve warm and enjoy!
How To Serve
Serve this comforting family meal with garlic bread on the side. It is a complete meal on its own so you are all sorted. You could also opt to serve it as part of a larger meal or add a Caesar side salad.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store any leftovers of this hearty pasta dish in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled and use them within 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Leave the pasta to cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for 1 to 2 months. Defrost and heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
Creamy beef and shells are a tasty way to serve pasta. It has a delicious creamy tomato sauce and the beef absorbs all of the flavors. The recipe is simple to make, although you might find there’s never enough for everyone!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What can I use if I don’t have heavy cream?
You can use half and half or milk but heavy cream really will make a big, delicious difference for this sauce.
What kind of jarred tomato sauce do you recommend?
Any kind and brand of jarred, plain tomato sauce will work.
If I want to double the amount of noodles, do I have to double the pasta sauce?
If you’re increasing the noodles, we would suggest increasing the other ingredients as well so the consistency stays the same; otherwise, it will be dry.
If I do not have any beef broth, what is an alternative that I could use instead?
You could substitute another broth or stock, like chicken broth or vegetable stock.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Mongolian Beef
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- Lasagna Casserole
- Meatloaf
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- Chicken Ramen Stir Fry
- Beef Stroganoff
- American Chop Suey
- Beef Ramen Stir Fry
- Baked Ziti with Chicken
- Taco Stuffed Shells
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- American Chop Suey
- Baked Ziti with Chicken
- Chicken Roll Ups
- Shells and Cheese
- No Peek Beef Tips
- Mongolian Beef and Noodle Recipe
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- One Pot Pasta
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- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Million Dollar Mac and Cheese
- Meatloaf Recipe with Stove Top Stuffing
- Blooming Quesadilla Ring
- Cheeseburger Quesadilla
Creamy Beef and Shells
Make this simple creamy beef and shells recipe as a one-pan easy dinner recipe that’s like the hamburger helper but much tastier.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded, about 1½ cups
- salt and pepper to taste
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 to 5 minutes, crumbling the ground beef. Drain excess fat and set aside.
- Add onion to the skillet, cook stirring frequently until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and mustard powder then 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, then simmer. Stir occasionally until reduced and slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in pasta, beef, and heavy cream, then heat through.
- Stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shred your cheese from the block rather than buying pre-shredded for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it and doesn’t melt quite as well as freshly shredded cheese.
- Ground beef can be batch-cooked ahead of time and kept in the freezer until you are ready to use it in a recipe. This is a great time saver.
- To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
Nutrition
Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg
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Comments
Treena says
My family and I absolutely love this recipe and left overs are always great for school lunches.
Toni Thomason says
Perfect weeknight dinner idea.
Shaista Zabir says
Wowww….sounds very delicious and nutritious.
Deborah Dzikowicz says
Was absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making again.
Kat says
Is heavy cream necessary?? Can I use milk instead??
Layne Kangas says
It makes it nice and creamy and rich – I’m sure you could use milk in place!
Daniela says
this was so delicious! My family loved it, and it was so quick and easy to make! Definitely going in our favorites list!
Jenny says
Is it possible to use 16 oz of noodles instead of just 8? Would i have to double the liquids at all?
Layne Kangas says
If you’re increasing noodles, I would suggest increasing the other ingredients as well so the consistency stays the same. I think otherwise it will be dry! Enjoy 🙂
S says
I wonder if cream cheese would be good in this? I love the flavour of this is some other sauces.
Stephanie says
Made this tonight. Turned out really good! I used cornstarch and water instead of flour and added steamed broccoli too. Super yummy!
Cindy Lopez says
very good! Thank you, my husband loved it and even took leftovers for lunch which is odd for him!
Jocelyn Ramos says
If I do not have any beef stock, what is an alternative that I could use instead?
Layne Kangas says
You could substitute another broth or stock, like chicken or veggie. Enjoy!
Lisa says
I have made this meal 3x in the last 3 weeks, my kids LOVE IT!
Today I’m adding celery and asparagus and I was wondering if you have added any other veggies to it. 🙂
Layne Kangas says
No, I haven’t! Enjoy 🙂
Michelle Fulkes says
Very easy, one pot dish. Huge hit with my troops (11, 9, 7, 5)! Thank you
Shelby Verhaert says
I halved the recipe and it still made a ton of food. There are just two of us.
I added a little extra of all the spices after I let it simmer…just my preference!
I loved this take on “hamburger helper” shell n chz!! Its so much better and even easier to make!!! Thanks for the nostalgia, we don’t eat HH anymore!
Harlee says
If I don’t have heavy cream what can I use?
Layne Kangas says
You can use half and half or milk but heavy cream really will make a big, delicious difference for this sauce. I would recommend grabbing some. Enjoy! 🙂
Elizabeth says
I used sour cream…about 1/3 to half cup. It was perfect.
L Kramer says
Very Yummy. Your extra spices make a big difference. This recipe for my family is a keeper.
Jodi says
What kind of jarred tomato sauce do you recommend? I am in Canada and all we have that is plain is Hunts canned tomato sauce. Thanks.
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Jodi – that will work. Enjoy 🙂
J says
This was delicious and lots of left overs. Followed recipe as is, but added sour cream to it too.
Gloria says
One of our family’s favorite meals – so easy and delicious! A big hit every time!
Antoinette says
Wow! Just finished making this delicious dish.
Steph says
I didn’t have enough sauce like I thought so I used homemade enchilada sauce leftover from my freezer & used cavatappi shells. Shelf cooking win! We had no leftovers this was SO good
Mike says
This is one of our family’s favorite dinners!
Jill says
I made this for dinner tonight and my family loved it! I definitely will be making this meal again. Delicious!!!
Emi Lever says
It’s difficult to find recipes that are easy but there’s enough spices and flavor. This recipe is so easy to tweak to your preferred spice level or even if you want it thicker or more runny. Highly recommended trying this recipe. Its definitely a recipe I’ll be making again!
Gail says
This was ridiculously yummy! Not too painstaking in the steps – although seems so. It is worth it!
Sue says
This one is a keeper. Added some bacon to it.
Christina says
SO yummy! I didn’t have broth so I used the pasta water and it was still amazing. I also added broccoli (at step 6) to make it more of a complete meal. Will definitely be making again! Great recipe!
Lynn says
This is delicious. I added more than the called for spices and used petit diced tomatoes, added some red chili flakes and 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream. Highly recommend this recipe. Made it for my elderly parents who loved it!
P. Wright says
So good! I did have to do a couple substitutes though. I used ground pork sausage, regular mustard, elbow macaroni, and added in some chopped spinach. It turned out so yummy!
Amanda Grimaud says
Going to try this tonight… what is a good side dish for it?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Amanda – you could serve with a salad or steamed veggies. Enjoy!
Celine Schmidt says
So I’m a vegetarian so I had to use veggie meat and coconut milk in the van without the water and oh my god this was delicious 🤤 thank you for sharing your recipe
Mitzi says
My husband came across this recipe, made it last night and it was a HIT! Not even comparable to the horrible tasting processed stuff in a box. Easy to make, creamy deliciousness, comfort food, one I will save to make again and again. A dish that will work well for family gatherings with kids, as I imagine most people would enjoy this dish. So happy to find and add your site to my favorite recipe go-to sites, thank you!!
Dalten Nguyen says
This is a staple in our house, highly recommend!
Jennifer says
All of my picky eaters love this meal! I use gluten free noodles and it is delicious!!
Kathleen O says
I made this tonight! It’s YUM~ O!
I’m sure the leftovers will be even better!
I didn’t have the mustard powder, I’ll try it next time!