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Creamy Beef and Shells

Creamy beef and shells with jumbo pasta shells cooked in a one-pot tomato-beef broth and finished with a thick, orange-tinted cheddar cream sauce. Ground beef and melted cheddar coat every crevice for a hearty, weeknight comfort food pasta dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
onion
  • 1 onion
garlic
  • 3 garlic cloves
shell pasta
  • 2 cup medium shell pasta, uncooked
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and black pepper
  • 0.25 salt and black pepper to taste
sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart until no longer pink, then drain excess fat. Visual cue: the meat should look crumbly and lightly browned.
  2. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Visual cue: the onion edges turn slightly translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Visual cue: the mixture becomes fragrant without browning.
Cook the shells
  1. Add the uncooked shells, beef broth, diced tomatoes, Rotel, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, then stir to combine. Visual cue: the pasta is evenly coated and mostly submerged.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until the pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Visual cue: bubbling slows under the cover and the sauce clings to the shells.
Finish with cream and cheddar
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Visual cue: the sauce looks glossy and slightly thicker when stirred.
  2. Remove from heat, stir in the shredded cheddar until fully melted, and serve immediately. Visual cue: cheddar melts into the sauce so it pools in each shell crevice.

Notes

Pro tip: if the sauce gets too thick before the shells are tender, add a splash of beef broth and simmer until the pasta finishes cooking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because cream and cheddar can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and use reduced-fat cheddar.