- 1 pound lean ground beef, I recommend between 90-93% lean
- 1 large yellow onion, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups reduced beef broth
- 8- ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces small pasta shells, (small elbow macaroni may be substituted, however read the FAQs why I don’t recommend other swaps)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional for garnishing: freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, more cheddar cheese, or as desired, (fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, etc. are all great)
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To a large skillet, add the ground beef, and brown it over medium-high heat, crumbling and flipping it as it cooks to ensure even cooking. When it’s done, remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl or on a plate. Don’t drain the cooking liquids or grease. You’ll need it to saute the onions.
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Add the onions, and saute for about 4 minutes, or until soft and translucent; stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
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Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; stir nearly constantly.
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Evenly sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring well, and cook for 1 minute. Tip – Adding flour like this is in essence creating a roux, which later on helps thicken the sauce. Make sure not to shortchange this step because you also want to cook the raw flour sufficiently so the finished dish doesn’t have any lingering raw flour taste.
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Slowly add the broth, stirring the whole time as you’re adding it, turn the heat to high, and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
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Add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dry pasta shells, turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until much of the liquid has been absorbed and pasta is cooked properly to al dente. Cooking Tips – If the pasta is still hard after 10 minutes and there’s liquid left in the skillet, simply re-cover it, and allow it to simmer for another few minutes or until it’s done. If it’s not done but the skillet is pretty dry, add about 1/2 cup additional broth (or water), cover, and simmer for another few minutes. If after 10 minutes the pasta is done, but there’s a lot of excess amount of liquid (this is less likely, but anything is possible), simply turn up the heat to medium-high or high, and allow the mixture to boil uncovered with a good amount of steam coming off, and within a couple minutes unnecessary liquid volume will just steam off and evaporate. However, remember that you don’t want it bone dry – this is a cheesy pasta dish after all! Also see the FAQs for more info.
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Add the shredded cheese, heavy cream, turn the heat to medium-high, and stir continuously until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes.
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Add the beef back into the skillet, stir to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes, just to rewarm the beef and incorporate it.
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Optionally, garnish with additional cheese and/or fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave, or as desired. Always use extra caution any time you’re reheating anything with dairy or a cream sauce because very high heat and dairy proteins do not mix well.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 534kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 1080mg, Potassium: 710mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1101IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 379mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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