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    Recipes » Recipes

    Creamy One-Pot Shells and Beef

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Feb 6, 2020 · Modified: Mar 25, 2021 by Dee

    Creamy One-Pot Shells and Beef is an easy ground beef and pasta dinner that is cooked in a tomato cream sauce and is ready in just 30 minutes. It's easy to make, easy to clean and kid approved!

    Jump to Recipe -
    creamy-one-pot-shells and-beef-pasta-30-minute-dinner

    This creamy beef and shells is a reader favorite, and it's a personal favorite, too! I've updated the original post with newer photos and cooking tips to make this easy dinner even easier!

    Yes, it's me again with another easy 30 minute one-pot dinner for ya. I seem to be on roll with easy ground beef dinners lately, but the end of the school year is always super busy, and these quick and easy meals are pretty much necessary for our survival.

    And today, I was out all day chaperoning a gaggle of giggling girls-- my own included -- on a school field trip. Actually, as field trips go, it wasn't bad at all -- I've seen a lot worse.

    But by the end of the day, my energy level was practically down to zero, and cooking dinner was the last thing on my mind. I even forgot that I had asked the Hubs to pick up some fresh ground beef on his way home.

    That's what's so great about one dish meals. You don't need to put a lot of time or effort into dinner, but everyone is fed and happy, and you feel like Super Mom, even when you're exhausted.

    How to Make Creamy Beef and Shells in One Pot

    My family loves pasta, but I wanted to try something a little bit different this time. So, I made a creamy tomato sauce instead of the usual red sauce.

    Basically, I cooked the ground beef and an onion in my red Dutch oven. If you have a lot of grease and need to drain it, do that first, and then season the beef.

    Use Lean Ground Beef

    I recommend using lean ground beef so that there's no need to drain it. So, add your seasonings to the meat, and cook until no longer pink.

    brown ground beef and onions in dutch oven

    Next, add your pasta shells, marinara sauce and water. I used medium shells this time, but you could use mini penne, bow ties or pretty much whatever you have on hand.

    When you add the water, it will be very soupy. But, as the pasta cooks, it will absorb all of that liquid, so don't panic!

    Cover the pot, until it comes to a boil, then remove the lid, stir and keep an eye on it. You'll need to stir every so often so that the pasta doesn't stick.

    marinara sauce with shell pasta and ground beef in dutch oven

    When the liquid starts to reduce, and the pasta shells are almost done, stir in your heavy cream. Then, stir in the Parmesan cheese.

    This delicious creamy shells and beef will continue to thicken as it cools, so if it seems a little thin, don't worry.

    Believe me, I've been making creamy beef and shells for 4 years now, and it turns out perfect every time!

    creamy pasta shells and ground beef in a dutch oven on a wooden spoon

    You can see how rich and creamy the pasta is. The shells hold that creamy tomato sauce and ground beef so that every bite is filled with amazing flavor!

    As soon as the pasta shells are al dente, you're ready to eat! You can top it with more Parmesan and fresh parsley for extra flavor.

    creamy-one-pot-shells-and-beef-skillet

    Make this One Pot Dinner even Easier

    You could make this even easier by using dried onions or garlic powder -- it's up to you. If I'm really in a rush, I'll do this, but I usually enjoy the chopping process.

    It actually relaxes me. Or sometimes, I'll just ask the Hubs or one of my older kids to help!

    What really saves time is having chopped onions waiting in the freezer. If I cut a whole onion, I'll try to freeze half for later, and eventually, I'll have a nice stash of onions when I need them!

    If you want to make creamy shells and beef in the Instant Pot, here's the recipe. It's even easier!

    instant pot creamy shells and beef in pressure cooker

    More Easy One Pot Pasta Recipes

    • One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
    • One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
    • One Pot Chicken Alfredo
    • One Pot Creamy Kielbasa Tortellini
    close up of pasta shells and ground beef on a spoon

    Creamy One-Pot Shells and Beef Recipe

    shell pasta and ground beef with creamy tomato sauce in red dutch oven

    Creamy One-Pot Shells and Beef

    Published by Dee
    Creamy One-Pot Shells and Beef is an easy ground beef and pasta dinner that is cooked in a tomato cream sauce and is ready in just 30 minutes.
    5 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 to 8 servings
    Calories 546 kcal

    Equipment

    • dutch oven

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ pounds fresh extra lean ground beef
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ cup yellow or white onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoons garlic chopped
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 cups marinara sauce, pasta sauce, tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups medium shells uncooked (about ½ of a 1 pound box)
    • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning mix
    • 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
    • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese optional

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot or skillet, saute the onions in olive oil until soft
    • Add ground beef, and cook until brown
    • Add the garlic, salt and pepper
    • Stir in the tomato sauce, pasta and water
    • Cover and bring to a boil, then remove lid, and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta starts to soften
    • Add the Italian seasoning, reduce heat to medium low, and stir in the cream
    • Cook on low heat until sauce begins to thicken
    • Add the Parmesan cheese, and serve

    Video

    Notes

    To cook 1 pound of pasta, use 3 cups water and a large jar of marinara sauce or pasta sauce. You can add a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes if you want more tomato flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 32gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 1040mgPotassium: 779mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1009IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword creamy beef and shells, creamy one pot shells and beef, ground beef and pasta recipe
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    Recipe was originally published in May 2016 and updated for pictures and cooking tips in Feb 2020.

    creamy one pot shells and beef recipe

    I'm  happy to report that the whole family loved this creamy one-pot shells and beef. I served a simple salad on the side, which was just enough to make dinner complete.

    And after dinner was over, I went and put my feet up for the rest of the evening!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. rachel riley says

      February 19, 2022 at 11:43 am

      Could I use beef broth in place of water?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm

        Yes, beef broth would be great!

    2. Lori says

      May 03, 2021 at 11:39 pm

      Can this recipe be doubled

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 04, 2021 at 1:15 pm

        Yes! I do this all the time.

    3. Remy says

      March 26, 2021 at 8:10 pm

      Do I drain the beef?5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 26, 2021 at 10:02 pm

        Only if you want to. I usually buy lean beef, so I don't drain it.

    4. Mindy says

      January 02, 2021 at 11:53 pm

      This was delicious! I made it tonight for the first time. My mom enjoyed it as well. I followed the recipe as written except I did half sausage and half hamburger because that is what I had. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the great recipe! 😊5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 04, 2021 at 1:52 pm

        Thank you so much, Mindy! I'm glad you both liked the shells and beef!

    5. Jamie says

      November 20, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      Hi! Confused about references to marinara sauce, when it's not listed in recipe.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        November 21, 2020 at 2:05 pm

        You can use any pasta sauce. Some people say tomato sauce instead of marinara. I'll make a note of that in the recipe.:)

    6. Mikayla says

      February 24, 2020 at 5:01 pm

      I have made this many times, but I sub the ground beef for Italian sausage. If I am really trying to make dinner fast, I do the noodles separately so I can have the sausage going and the noodles at the same time, then omit the water.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 24, 2020 at 7:36 pm

        Yum -- I make it with sausage sometimes, as well! Love that you found a way to cook it even faster.

    7. Michelle says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:30 am

      I made this last night and my picky toddler even loved it! Thanks - this is now going in our regular rotation. Love having another ground beef meal in my arsenal.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 10, 2020 at 8:10 pm

        I'm so happy this was a hit with your family! Thanks, Michelle!

    8. James says

      February 10, 2020 at 6:38 am

      Love this one. We also use the Instant Pot version as well. Supper easy and a kid favorite too.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 10, 2020 at 7:08 am

        So glad you like both versions, James. Thanks!

    9. Desiree says

      December 06, 2019 at 6:39 pm

      Very yummy! My son loved it! Had to make it dairy free so I used almond milk and some nutritional yeast and it turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing!!!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        December 09, 2019 at 7:41 am

        Thanks, Desiree. Glad you were able to adapt the recipe for your son! 🙂

    10. Maia K says

      April 23, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      I was sceptical but this recipe is so delicious that it tastes like it takes more work than it does! As a new mom I'm excited to add this recipe as a quick and easy dish to put arsenal. My husband loved it, too! Thanks!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 24, 2019 at 8:29 am

        Thank you so much! It's one of our very favorite IP dinners. 🙂

    11. Lorraine Hitch says

      February 12, 2019 at 7:15 am

      Awesome. Was looking for quick easy recipe for ground beef where I had all ingredients on hand. Who knew it would turn into my new go-to!!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 12, 2019 at 2:25 pm

        Thanks, Lorraine. This is one of our favorite dinners, too!

    12. Brian says

      September 17, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      Made this for dinner tonight because I needed to use up some heavy cream. I substituted elbow macaroni and a can of rotel. Very good! will definitely make again5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 18, 2018 at 9:31 am

        Awesome! I'm so glad you liked it, Brian. 🙂

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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