Pasta shells with ground beef
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef 🥩
- 1 box (16 oz) Pasta shells 🐚
- 1 small Onion, diced 🧅
- 1 Bell pepper, diced (green or red!) 🫑
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced 🧄
- 24 oz Marinara or pasta sauce 🍅
- 1 cup Beef broth or water 🍲
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning 🌿
- Salt & Black Pepper to taste 🧂
- Optional: 1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese 🧀
👩🍳 Instructions
- Brown the Beef: In a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease. 🥩🔥
- Sauté the Veggies: Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the pan. Cook for 3–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. 🧅🫑✨
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the pasta sauce, beef broth, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. 🍅🍲📈
- Cook the Pasta: Add the dry pasta shells directly into the sauce. Stir well, cover, and cook for about 10–12 minutes (or according to package directions) until the shells are tender. 🐚⏲️
- Get Cheesy: If using cheese, sprinkle it over the top during the last 2 minutes of cooking and cover the pan to let it melt into gooey perfection. 🧀🤤
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy and serve hot! 🍽️😋
🔥 Pro Tips:
- The Liquid Balance: If the sauce gets too thick while the pasta is cooking, add a splash more broth or water to keep it creamy and saucy. 🍲🎯
- Extra Veg: Toss in a handful of fresh spinach at the very end for an easy nutritional boost! 🍃✨
