One-Pot Cheesy Beef Pasta¶

A rich, comforting one-pot pasta with browned ground beef, tender shells, and a creamy cheddar cheese sauce. Everything cooks in one pot for easy cleanup.

Details¶


Cuisine	American
Servings	4-6

Ingredients¶

Main¶

Ingredient	Imperial	Metric
Pasta shells	12 oz	340 g
Ground beef	1 lb	450 g
Small onion, finely chopped	1 whole	1 whole
Garlic, minced	3 cloves	3 cloves
Diced tomatoes (canned)	14.5 oz	410 g
Beef broth	2 cups	475 ml
Heavy cream	1 cup	240 ml
Shredded cheddar cheese	1 ½ cups	170 g
Olive oil	2 tbsp	30 ml

Seasonings¶

Ingredient	Imperial	Metric
Dried Italian herbs	1 tsp	1 tsp
Smoked paprika (optional)	½ tsp	½ tsp
Salt	to taste	to taste
Black pepper	to taste	to taste

Garnish¶

Ingredient	Imperial	Metric
Fresh parsley, chopped	to taste	to taste

Instructions¶

Cook the Beef¶

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Remove excess fat if needed.

Sauté Aromatics¶

Add onion and garlic to the beef.
Cook 3–4 minutes until onions are soft and fragrant.

Add Liquids and Pasta¶

Stir in diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian herbs, and smoked paprika.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Add pasta shells, stirring to combine. Ensure pasta is mostly submerged.

Simmer¶

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer 12–15 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Make It Creamy¶

Once pasta is cooked, stir in heavy cream and cheddar cheese.
Mix until cheese melts and sauce is creamy.
Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.

Serve¶

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.