Creamy One-Pot Beef and Shells

Creamy One-Pot Beef and Shells is a quick, comforting dinner—rich, cheesy, and ready in about 30 minutes with only one pot to clean. 🍝🥩🧀

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups medium pasta shells
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional: parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Brown the beef
   In a large pot or deep skillet, cook ground beef and diced onion over medium heat until the beef is browned. Drain excess grease.
2. Add garlic
   Stir in minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add liquids and pasta
   Pour in beef broth and tomato sauce. Stir in the pasta shells, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Simmer
   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
5. Make it creamy
   Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Cook another 2–3 minutes until melted and creamy.
6. Serve
   Garnish with parsley if desired and serve hot.

Tips

• Add spinach or mushrooms for extra vegetables.
• Swap cheddar with mozzarella or Parmesan for a different flavor.
• If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of broth or milk.

This dish tastes like a homemade creamy hamburger helper, but fresher and more flavorful. 😋