Description
Creamy Beef and Shells is a comforting pasta dish featuring tender medium pasta shells tossed in a rich and flavorful sauce made with browned ground beef, aromatic spices, marinara, and a creamy blend of heavy cream and sour cream, topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
Beef Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 (15 oz) can marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the medium pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving 1-2 tablespoons for flavor, and set beef aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Make Roux: Whisk in all-purpose flour into the onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Gradually whisk in beef stock to avoid lumps. Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, oregano, and smoked paprika.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly, about 8 minutes.
- Combine Pasta and Beef: Stir the cooked pasta and browned beef back into the sauce so everything is well coated.
- Add Creams: Stir in heavy cream and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- Finish with Sour Cream and Cheese: Stir in sour cream until combined. Fold in the grated cheddar cheese and cook until melted and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Serve: Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Choose ground chuck (80/20) or ground round (85/25) for better flavor and less grease; avoid fattier ground beef (70/30) or discard excess grease thoroughly.
- Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent sogginess when combined with sauce.
- Drain beef grease, leaving 1-2 tablespoons for extra flavor in the sauce.
- For added nutrition and flavor, sauté vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, or carrots with the onion and garlic.
- Add more marinara sauce if you prefer a saucier pasta dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
