Description
This creamy beef and shells pasta recipe offers a comforting blend of tender pasta shells, rich ground beef, and a luscious creamy tomato sauce. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner that’s hearty, flavorful, and easy to prepare, combining Italian herbs and smoky paprika for depth of flavor, finished with gooey melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces medium pasta shells
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20 for balance of flavor and fat)
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Spices
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 (15oz) can marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Brown beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving only 1-2 tablespoons, then set beef aside.
- Sauté onion and garlic: In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Create roux: Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for about 1 minute until the flour is lightly browned to help thicken the sauce.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Gradually whisk in the beef stock to prevent lumps, then stir in marinara sauce. Add Italian seasoning, dried parsley, dried oregano, and smoked paprika, mixing well.
- Simmer sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly, about 6-8 minutes.
- Combine pasta and beef: Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce, then add the cooked ground beef back to the skillet, mixing everything evenly.
- Add cream: Stir in the heavy cream and cook just until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
- Incorporate sour cream: Stir in the sour cream thoroughly to add extra creaminess to the sauce.
- Melt cheese: Fold in the grated cheddar cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Serve: Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh parsley for color and freshness.
Notes
- Choose ground beef with moderate fat content (such as 80/20) to balance flavor and grease; discard excess fat after browning to avoid greasiness.
- Cook pasta until just al dente to prevent sogginess when combined with sauce.
- Add more marinara sauce if a saucier pasta is preferred.
- For extra flavor and texture, sauté additional vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, or carrots with the onion and garlic until tender.
- Leaving 1-2 tablespoons of beef grease enhances flavor without making the dish too oily.
Keywords: creamy beef pasta, beef and shells, comfort food, easy weeknight dinner, creamy marinara sauce, cheddar cheese pasta