Pasta Shells with Ground Beef

I love serving my family food that really satisfies them. I love it when they stand up from the table talking about how much they loved the meal, or how full they are. I love watching them eat everything on their plate – and that’s why I love this recipe. Pasta Shells with Ground Beef is a hearty and savory dish that’s filling, satisfying, and so easy. You need just a few ingredients and a short amount of time. It’s a comforting dish perfect for busy nights, and filled with flavor that really stands out.

There’s a reason my kids ask for this dish every other week. When you serve up Pasta Shells with Ground Beef, you’re serving a dish that basically says “I love you!” The tender-perfect pasta shells hold in sauce and bits of beef to ensure outstanding flavor in every forkful. The first time you have it, you’ll probably think of one or two ways that your family would love it even more the next time. It’s super customizable, so you can tailor this dish to your family’s preferences.

The other thing I love about this recipe is how easy it is to follow and remember. Once you’ve made this dish a few times, you’ll easily be able to make it from memory, and that makes it even easier to prepare at the end of a busy day.

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Why You’ll Love This

I love pasta shells with ground beef because it’s so hearty, filling, and delicious that I can eat it three days in a row. What I’m saying is: I love it when there’s a lot of leftovers. I’ll make an extra big batch of this recipe just so I can have leftovers for lunch for days to come. Even when I make way too much food, it disappears quickly from the refrigerator because I’m not the only one who eats it!

It’s also easy to make, and it’s a complete meal alone, or you can add a salad and some buttered bread. Even my little ones enjoy eating this food, and I love watching them eat it because I know they’re getting their protein. It’s so hard to find food the littles appreciate, but this dish is it.

Ingredient Deep Dive

This recipe includes a basic ingredient list that’s easy to customize to your family’s tastes. You can add, subtract, or substitute these ingredients to your liking.

Ground Beef

Ground beef is my preferred meat because it brings flavor and substance to this dish. If you want a heart-healthy meat instead, ground turkey would also work, or shredded chicken. One thing I’ve considered in the past (but have not tried) is canned tuna. I love experimenting with this recipe and coming up with new combinations of ingredients and seasonings. You can also customize this dish based on the ingredients you have at home.

Pasta Shells

I think shells are a really fitting pasta shape for this dish, but you can choose another shape if you prefer. One of the great things about shells specifically is that the pasta cups naturally hold some of the ingredients (like the beef and seasonings), so you’ll get more than pasta in every bite. If you prefer a twisty pasta shape or something long and stringy like spaghetti or even angel hair, you can use that instead – but keep in mind that you may need to adjust the liquid content of the recipe accordingly.

Serrano Peppers and Onion

I always want a lot of flavor, so that’s why I turn to onion and serrano peppers for this dish. That said, you can choose other types of vegetables based on what you have at home. Bell peppers instead of serrano peppers takes away the heat but gives you goodness in other ways. I think that mushrooms would also work well in this recipe, as would something a little more surprising like eggplant. You can throw in what you have in your refrigerator, or pick what you know your family will like.

Seasoning

Seasonings are another way that you can really customize this recipe. I like to use garlic powder, onion powder, Sazon perfecta, and salt and pepper. You can choose whatever seasonings you have on hand that you know your family will enjoy. You can also vary the amounts to go with less or more seasoned based on your tastes. Play around, and if you like a milder dish, go easy on the seasonings. Add flavor in small batches until you find the right combination.

Pro-Tips & Technique

I think one of the most important things you can do with this recipe is to avoid overcooking the pasta. I hate it when the pasta gets mushy. Pay attention to the pasta and also the cooking instructions on the box, and only cook the pasta for as long as the cooking instructions recommend. Test it, and if you think the pasta is under done, you can add more time.

One more thing: listen to your family! They’ll tell you what to change about this recipe to make it even better next time. Customize this dish until you’ve made it your own.

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Sazon perfecta seasoning
• Black pepper to taste
• Pasta shells
• Olive oil
• Water
• Granulated chicken broth
• Granulated tomato broth
• Serrano peppers
• Onion
• Rotel
• Parsley
• Garlic powder and onion powder to taste
• Red sazon seasoning
• Bay leaf

How to make Pasta Shells with Ground Beef:

Step 1. Brown the ground beef in a large deep-sided skillet until cooked through, then drain the excess fat. Once you’ve cooked the beef, add pepper and Sazon seasoning and stir. I think it’s important to cook the beef first and cook it all the way through so you can be sure that it’s done once you’re ready to sample the pasta. I cook the beef over a medium-high heat and stir frequently to prevent it from burning. Use a high-walled skillet for this recipe.

Step 2. While the ground beef is cooking, brown the shell pasta in the oil in a separate skillet. You can add a little olive oil to the skillet or brown them dry. This adds a little color and changes the flavor of the shell pasta subtly. You’ll want to avoid burning the pasta, so push it around in the pot throughout this process. If the pasta starts to burn, turn down the temp.

Step 3. Stir the browned pasta into the cooked ground beef. I like to pick up the whole pan with the pasta inside and just dump it into the beef. Stir the mixture a little bit to get an even distribution of pasta and beef. At this point a few pasta shells might fall on the ground, so be careful when pouring one into the other.

Step 4. Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet. The broth and water may sizzle a little when you put it in the pan. Once all of the ingredients have been added, stir them again to get an even distribution of seasonings on each piece of pasta and clump of beef. This is why it’s important to use a high-walled skillet: because you’ll be cooking the pasta and beef together with the liquid needed to soften the pasta. It can be a lot of food for one skilled to handle, especially if it’s a shallow pan.

Step 5. Cover, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook until the pasta shells are tender. I check the recipe frequently to see that the liquid is boiling, but every time you choose to lift the lid, you let a little of the heat out. If you’re in a hurry, try to avoid checking it too frequently. Once the pasta is cooked, the dish is done!

Serve warm!

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Serving & Pairing

This dish makes a fantastic standalone food. You don’t have to pair it with anything if you don’t want to. However, if you want to make it a more complete meal, you can serve it with tomato and cucumber salad and cheesy garlic breadsticks!

FAQs & Troubleshooting

What size shells should I be using for this dish?

I prefer to use the small shells for this meal. They’re large enough to hold the flavor of the meat and sauce without being too large.

How should I store the leftovers?

The Pasta Shells with Ground Beef need to be cooled to room temperature before storing them in the fridge. Once the food is cooled, it can be placed into an airtight container. You can store the Pasta Shells with Ground Beef in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How can I reheat the Pasta Shells with Ground Beef?

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven that is preheated to 350*. Allow 10 to 15 minutes to heat through. You could also heat the dish up in the microwave until the desired temperature is reached. Either way, you may need to add a few tablespoons of broth to the recipe to avoid drying out the pasta.

Can I store this dish in the freezer?

The Pasta Shells with Ground Beef are a perfect dish to freeze. Be sure the food is cooled to room temperature before placing it into a freezer-safe and airtight container. You can store the dish in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Related Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Since you’re a fan of making pasta shells with ground beef, you might like these similar recipes:

Italian Rigatoni Bake – There’s nothing more filling and satisfying than this baked dish of deliciousness!

Mexican Taco Lasagna – This is a Mexican version of an Italian dish-and it’s magnificent! 

Chicken Taco Lasagna – Using chicken instead of beef in this lasagna is a great idea that you’re likely to adore!