Creamy Beef & Shell Pasta
Tender pasta shells are tossed with seasoned ground beef in a tomato-based sauce finished with a small amount of cream. It’s a straightforward stovetop dinner that comes together in about half an hour.
Print Pin Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 ounces medium uncooked shells
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 can (14 ounce) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1/3 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes. A little browning on the onion is fine.
- Add the ground beef. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a spoon as it browns. If a significant amount of fat collects in the skillet, spoon out most of it.
- Mix in the minced garlic and chili powder. Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, then stir everything together.
- Lower the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce for 4–5 minutes, allowing it to reduce slightly without letting it become dry.
- Stir in the heavy/whipping cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the cream to heat through.
- Add the drained pasta shells to the skillet and toss until evenly coated with the beef sauce. Serve immediately.
