Creamy Ground Beef and Shells

No ratings yet

This creamy beef and shells is my go-to one pot dinner when I need something fast, filling, and guaranteed to get eaten. It’s creamy like Hamburger Helper, but made with real ingredients and extra protein from a blended cottage cheese sauce that turns silky smooth. It’s rich, cozy, and comes together in about 20 minutes. Trust me, this one always disappears!

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Servings: servings

Author: Molly Thompson

INGREDIENTS

12 oz shells
1 cup cottage cheese full-fat or non-fat
2 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ground beef I used 93% lean
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
3 cups beef broth

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Cook the beef: Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Season with the salt and Italian seasoning.
1 lb ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Cook the pasta: Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the pasta shells. Cover and cook for about 10–12 minutes, or according to the pasta package directions, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce, 3 cups beef broth, 12 oz shells
Make it creamy: While the pasta cooks, blend the cottage cheese and heavy cream in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. When the pasta is tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the cottage cheese mixture until the sauce is creamy and well combined. Let it cook for another 1–2 minutes until warmed through and slightly thickened.
1 cup cottage cheese, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Notes

Skip the cottage cheese: If you prefer, you can skip the cottage cheese and stir in an additional ½ cup of heavy cream instead. The sauce will still be creamy, just slightly less thick and with a little less protein.

Add spinach: Stir in 2-3 handfuls of fresh baby spinach during the last minute of cooking until wilted. It’s an easy way to add some greens without changing the flavor.

Use ground turkey instead: Ground turkey or ground chicken works well in place of ground beef. You may want to add an extra pinch of salt for flavor.

Leftovers: This pasta thickens as it sits. Add a splash of milk before reheating to bring the sauce back to a creamy consistency.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!