September 13, 2023
Review RecipeShells & Cheese
Made with real cheese, this creamy shells and cheese recipe is the perfect alternative to store-bought mac and cheese.
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These creamy shells and cheese are a delicious homemade alternative to everyone’s favorite boxed mac and cheese. The perfectly cooked shells are smothered with gooey, melted cheesy goodness that will make your taste buds tingle with delight.
Shells And Cheese Ingredients
Shells and cheese, a classic comfort food, never fails to tantalize your taste buds with its creamy, savory goodness.
The tender, chewy texture of the pasta, balanced with the velvety cheese sauce, leaves you feeling satisfied and content.
The richness of the cheese, blended with a subtle hint of spices, creates an explosion of flavor in your mouth with every bite.
You’ll need:
- 1 pound box of small shells of pasta
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups of half & half
- 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt (I used Lowry’s brand)
- ¾ teaspoon of dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 8 ounces of original Velveeta cheese, small cubed
- 8 ounces of sharp cheddar-mozzarella blend cheese, shredded (I used Kraft brand)
PRO TIP:
The brand of pasta I used had three different sizes of shells. I used the size in this recipe that is most comparable to the boxed shells and cheese you find at the grocery store. I will sometimes use the mini shells when making this dish for little kids as they are easier for them to eat.
Substitutions And Additions
CHEESE: If you can not find a cheddar-mozzarella cheese blend as an 8-ounce block, then you can certainly use one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese along with one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Some other great cheese substitutes would be 8-ounce Colby-jack cheese, cheddar-jack cheese, or all-sharp cheddar cheese.
MILK: You can substitute whole milk for the half & half in this Velveeta shells recipe, but your sauce will be slightly thinner.
I do not recommend low-fat or non-fat milk for this recipe as it will make your sauce too thin, and the sauce will not cling to the pasta as well.
How To Make This Shells And Cheese Recipe
While cooking the pasta noodles, you’ll have time to whip up the creamy, cheesy sauce to coat your pasta with. This is a quick and easy dish that would make an easy lunch or dinner idea.
STEP ONE: In a large stock pot on medium-high heat, boil the small shell pasta for 10-12 minutes until al dente or according to the package directions.
Drain the cooked pasta shells and return them to the pot. Set aside.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
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: Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat-low heat.
Whisk the all-purpose flour into the melted butter until smooth and becomes a very light golden brown roux.
STEP THREE: Slowly whisk the half & half into the roux until no lumps remain.
STEP FOUR: Add the seasoned salt, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and the small cubes of Velveeta cheese to the hot half & half mixture and whisk until all the Velveeta cheese is melted and the sauce thickens up.
This will take about 3 to 4 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Add the shredded cheddar-mozzarella cheese blend to the warm cheese sauce, ½ cup at a time, whisking until smooth between each addition.
STEP SIX: Pour the warm cheese sauce over the cooked and drained pasta shells. Stir to evenly coat all the pasta shells with the cheese sauce.
PRO TIP:
This shells and cheese pasta dish should be served immediately. You can keep the dish warm over very low heat for up to 30 minutes on the stovetop. If you find that your sauce is getting too thick as it sits, you can stir in a splash or two of warm milk to loosen up the thickened sauce. This creamy sauce will thicken as it cools.
How To Serve
This cheesy pasta makes an easy meal when you need a quick lunch or dinner on a busy day.
Add a side dish, such as a simple Caesar salad or simple sauteed vegetables, and a loaf of our crusty Dutch oven bread.
Grilled chicken or fish, roasted vegetables, or a crisp tomato cucumber salad are all delicious options that will complement and enhance the creamy goodness of your shells and cheese.
Looking for more quick and easy ways to whip up a hearty pasta dish? Our taco pasta and creamy garlic pasta are two more family favorites.
MORE SIDE DISH RECIPES
Storage
If you have any leftovers from this pasta dish, here are a few storage tips.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store leftover cheesy pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this pasta dish as the texture of the creamy sauce will change once thawed.
It’s cheesy, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying, and it’s the perfect meal to enjoy on a cold winter night. With two types of cheese and tons of yummy flavor, this shells and cheese recipe is pure comfort food that is sure to be a huge hit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of pasta is best for this creamy mac and cheese dinner recipe?
Any very small pasta shapes would work best for this recipe, although it is entirely up to you which pasta you’d like to use.
Can I freeze leftovers of this shell mac and cheese pasta?
We don’t recommend freezing these mac and cheese shells as we find the texture of the creamy sauce does not thaw very well.
Does this Velveeta shells and cheese recipe need to be baked?
This stovetop mac and cheese recipe doesn’t need to be baked before serving. It’s meant to go right from the stovetop to the table!
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Shells and Cheese
Made with real cheese, this creamy shells and cheese recipe is the perfect alternative to store-bought mac and cheese.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound small shells pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups half & half
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, I used Lowry’s brand
- ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces original Velveeta cheese, small cubed
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar-mozzarella blend cheese, shredded (I used Kraft brand)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot on medium-high heat, boil the small shell pasta for 10 to 12 minutes or according to the package directions. Drain the cooked pasta shells and return them to the pot. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan on medium heat-low heat, melt the unsalted butter. To the melted butter, whisk in the all-purpose flour until smooth and becomes a very light golden brown roux.
- Slowly whisk the half & half into the roux until no lumps remain.
- Add the seasoned salt, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and the small cubes of Velveeta cheese to the hot half & half mixture and whisk until all the Velveeta cheese is melted and the sauce thickens up. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the shredded cheddar-mozzarella cheese blend to the warm cheese sauce, ½ cup at a time, whisking until smooth between each addition.
- Pour the warm cheese sauce over the cooked and drained pasta shells. Stir to evenly coat all the pasta shells with the cheese sauce.
Notes
- The brand of pasta I used had three different sizes of shells. I used the size in this recipe that is most comparable to the boxed shells and cheese you find at the grocery store. I will sometimes use the mini shells when making this dish for little kids as they are easier for them to eat.
- 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.
- This shells and cheese pasta dish should be served immediately. You can keep the dish warm over very low heat for up to 30 minutes on the stovetop. If you find that your sauce is getting too thick as it sits, you can stir in a splash or two of warm milk to loosen up the thickened sauce. This creamy sauce will thicken as it cools.
Nutrition
Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1038mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 770IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 479mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Amy Kelley says
Very creamy and very easy to make. Much better than the box stuff at the store. This recipe makes ALOT so if you are expecting a large crowd for dinner, this is the perfect side to make.