Be sure to try my heart Beef Vegetable Soup recipe next!
Creamy Beef and Shells
I promise you- the extra ingredients that I have listed in this recipe are all SO entirely worth the outcome. It might seem strange to have a dab of hot sauce or mustard powder in here, but they really compliment and enhance the other flavors in this recipe. (And don’t skimp out on the cream cheese! It’s heavenly.) This sauce has the perfect balance of every flavor. It’s creamy, but still has a distinct tomato flavor with a perfect ratio of ground beef and pasta. You will be super proud of yourself when you taste it. My husband’s exact reaction: “Mmmm…. (4 seconds later)… Oh my GOSH! This is REALLY good!” -all of those flavors roll in after a few seconds and that’s what makes this recipe so great. Okay- let’s do it!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Shred the cheese and measure out all ingredients prior to beginning. Begin heating the pasta water for boiling. Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium-high heat. Add onions halfway through and cook until softened. Drain any grease. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and flour. Cook for one minute.
Add the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to ‘clean’ the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and softened cream cheese. Let the sauce simmer while you boil the shells for 7-8 minutes or as instructed on package. Decrease heat to low. Stir in the half and half. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheese until well-combined.
Add the drained pasta shells and stir to combine. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese.
Pro Tips
Tomato Sauce: I use Hunt’s tomato sauce in this recipe, tomato passata can also be used. Shred the cheese from a block. It will melt and taste much better than bagged shredded cheese, which contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping in the bag (which also makes it melt less creamy.) I use Cracker Barrel sharp yellow cheddar. The hot sauce enhances all of the other flavors in the dish. It won’t make it spicy. I use Texas Pete hot sauce. If you don’t have mustard powder or tomato paste, they can be omitted, but they do add subtle yet excellent flavor to the sauce. The tomato paste also helps to thicken the sauce. A variety of different pastas will work in this recipe, including rotini, farfalle (bowtie), and fusilli.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Tried This Recipe?
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Kitchen Scale– Perfect for weighing the pasta or ground beef if needed. Deep 13-inch skillet– You’ll have this one forever. Box Grater– Always shred cheese from a block for best flavor and meltability. (Yes, that’s actually a word! 😂)
