This Ground Beef Pasta is hearty, flavorful, and a quick and easy dinner recipe made with deliciously seasoned ground beef in a creamy, cheesy sauce, with shell pasta. It’s a delicious comfort food recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Pasta skillets are a great meal to make for the family because they’re fast, easy, and filling. This particular dish is especially hearty. It’s loaded with ground beef and a creamy cheese sauce that’s all mixed up with pasta shells. It’s kind of like a homemade Hamburger Helper recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for quite some time because it was so easy to make on a busy weeknight, and my kids and their friends could eat it after school. And trust me, they did. This recipe has never lasted longer than 2 days because everyone just wants to eat it and eat it. A big bonus is that this dish is the perfect thing to bring to potlucks, as well. It’s rich, creamy, and it travels well.
Ground Beef Pasta
This delicious pasta dish is a great dinner recipe that doubles as a fantastic lunch or after-school meal. It starts with deliciously seasoned ground beef. Then, I make a rich cream sauce loaded with sour cream, cream cheese, beef broth, and Rotel tomatoes. Finally, it’s all mixed together with al dente pasta shells to create a pasta skillet that satisfies everyone – at least until it’s gone. It’s so rich and hearty, everyone always leaves the table knowing they’ve just had a real meal.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta
- It’s cheesy, creamy, and super flavorful.
- It’s a quick and easy dinner recipe that uses simple ingredients.
- It can be on the dinner table in no time.
Tips
- Be sure you don’t overcook your pasta. It should be cooked to al dente so it stands up to the mixing and the noodles don’t get mushy.
- Always drain your beef even if it doesn’t seem greasy. You’d be surprised at how much grease is actually in the meat when you drain it.
Variations
- Ground turkey or Italian sausage can be used in place of ground beef.
- You can use summer or another such smoked sausage, as well.
- Shrimp is delicious in this recipe.
- Any short noodles like penne, rotini or elbow macaroni, will work in this recipe.
- Kick up the heat and flavor with red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Pasta
This hearty dish is a filling meal on its own, so I recommend serving it with simple sides. Some tasty examples include:
- Garlic bread
- Garlic cheese bread
- Side salad
- Potato wedges
- Steamed vegetables
- Roasted vegetables
Recipe FAQ
Which ground beef has the best flavor?
Ground chuck has the best flavor due to its fat content of 15 to 20%. The fat is what gives the beef its flavor.
What meat can be used instead of ground beef?
- Ground chicken or turkey
- Ground pork
What is the best pasta for making ground beef pasta?
I like shells because they hold the sauce well. However, any short noodle will work. Corkscrews and other textured noodles are best because they hold the sauce.
Should you drain liquid from ground beef?
Always drain your ground beef, no matter how lean it is. There’s always some grease left after browning any kind of ground beef.
Can you freeze leftover ground beef pasta?
Absolutely. This dish freezes well and will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
How to Store and Reheat Ground Beef Pasta
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
To reheat this dish, place it in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Ground Beef Pasta Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can find easily at your local grocery store.
- Lean ground beef
- Onion, diced
- Slap Ya Mama®
- Garlic salt
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Beef broth
- Pasta water
- Diced green chilies
- Rotel®
- Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Mozzarella, shredded
- Medium shells
How to Make Ground Beef Pasta
Making this delicious dish is super easy to do. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps. AND you only need a pot and a skillet!
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Boil the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Then, reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Beef
Brown the beef, onions, and seasonings in a large pan over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink, and the onions are tender. Drain and return to the pan.
Step 3: Add Cream Sauce Ingredients
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, pasta water, and beef broth, Rotel, and diced green chilies to the pot and stir until fully incorporated and the cheese is melted. Simmer on low for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Finish the Dish
Add the pasta to the meat and cream sauce and stir well. Sprinkle in the cheese and mix until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy! Optional: top with Parmesan cheese.
Try This Delicious Ground Beef Pasta Recipe Today
This easy, delicious, creamy beef pasta skillet is super rich and so simple to make. It’s the ideal dish to feed the family even on busy weeknights, and it makes a great addition to any potluck. Give this recipe a try, and I’m sure you’ll find that it becomes a permanent part of your recipe rotation.
More Tasty Ground Beef Recipes to Try
Easy One Pot Goulash – A hearty and delicious goulash recipe with deliciously seasoned ground beef, sour cream, cream cheese, two types of cheese and elbow macaroni.
Creamy Ravioli Recipe – A delicious and favorite pasta recipe with two types of sauce, a meat sauce and a white sauce, raviolis and topped with cheese. So good!
Meatloaf Grilled Cheese – Two classic favorite in one delicious recipe makes for a fantastic dinner or lunch the whole family will enjoy.
And, here is a delicious Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas recipe, from Great Grub, Delicious Treats, that you will enjoy as well.
Ground Beef Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Slap Ya Mama®
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups beef broth
- ½ cup pasta water
- 4 ounce diced green chilies
- 10 ounce Rotel®
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
- 16 ounce medium shells
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente, reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown ground beef and onions.
- Sprinkle with seasonings and cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.
- Drain grease and return to the pan.
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, pasta water, and beef broth. Stir until fully incorporated and cream cheese is melted. Let simmer over low medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add pasta to meat sauce and stir well.
- Sprinkle in cheese and mix until cheese is melted.
- Serve and enjoy.
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