Description
A comforting dish featuring tender pasta shells and juicy ground beef in a rich and creamy sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz medium pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion (diced)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 (15 oz) can marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Drain excess fat and set the beef aside.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the mixture and whisk until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in beef stock. Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, oregano, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked pasta shells and reserved beef. Mix well.
- Slowly stir in heavy cream and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Fold in sour cream and freshly grated cheddar cheese, stirring until melted.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if desired.
Notes
For a cheesy baked variant, transfer to a baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake until bubbly. Can be customized with different cheeses or veggies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: comfort food, creamy pasta, beef dish, family dinner