One Pot Creamy Beef and Shells (Printable)

Hearty pasta with tender beef in a rich, creamy tomato sauce—all cooked in one pot for easy weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

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

→ Pasta

04 - 8 ounces medium pasta shells, uncooked

→ Liquids

05 - 2 cups beef broth
06 - 1 can (14 ounces) 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 teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef 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 to 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 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 to 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 to 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 Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means one less thing to clean up when you're already exhausted.
  • The creamy tomato sauce tastes like you've been simmering it all day, but it comes together in under 40 minutes.
  • Ground beef stretches further when it's mixed with pasta and cream, so feeding a family feels less expensive than it actually is.
  • It's flexible enough to swap ingredients when you're missing something but still tastes exactly right.
02 -
  • Don't skip stirring occasionally while the pasta cooks or it'll stick to the bottom and scorch, which tastes bitter and ruins the whole pot.
  • Uncooked pasta absorbs liquid differently than pre-cooked pasta, so if your sauce looks too thin before you add the cream, don't panic; it's supposed to.
  • Add the cream after the pasta is mostly tender because the heat will continue softening it slightly, and you want to stop it before it becomes mushy.
03 -
  • Buy a block of cheddar and grate it yourself; it melts into the sauce like silk instead of clumping like the pre-shredded version does.
  • Taste the dish before you add the red pepper flakes, then add them slowly because they intensify as the pot sits, and you can't take them back.
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