One Pot Creamy Beef and Shells (Printable)

Hearty beef and pasta shells in rich, creamy tomato sauce—all cooked in one pot for effortless cleanup.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pasta

04 - 8 oz medium pasta shells, uncooked

→ Liquids

05 - 2 cups beef broth
06 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Cheese & Seasonings

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12 - 1/2 tsp paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook the ground beef in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the pasta shells, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine, ensuring the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
04 - Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream and milk. Simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes to thicken slightly.
06 - Add the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until melted and the sauce is creamy. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means you spend less time cleaning and more time actually eating dinner with your family instead of at the sink
  • The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all those beefy tomato flavors so every bite tastes like its been simmering for hours instead of minutes
02 -
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if the sauce looks perfectly thick when you finish cooking, it might be too thick by the time you serve
  • I learned the hard way that stirring the cheese in off the heat prevents it from separating and getting grainy, which happened the first time I made this for company
03 -
  • Reserve about a half cup of pasta water before the liquid fully absorbs, because you might need it to loosen the sauce after adding the cheese
  • Grating your own Parmesan instead of buying the pre shredded stuff makes a huge difference in how smoothly it melts into the sauce
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