Are you craving a hearty, homely pasta? Dive into a skillet filled with luscious pasta shells, juicy ground beef, fresh spinach, and tangy tomatoes, all enveloped in a velvety Italian seasoned sauce. Did we mention the generous sprinkle of Parmesan? Ready in just 30 minutes
Let me take you on a little trip down memory lane. It was a rainy evening when I first concocted the “SIMPLE GROUND BEEF SHELLS SKILLET”. It started out as an unplanned mishmash. You know those days when you open the fridge, sigh dramatically, and wonder what culinary magic you can create with limited ingredients? That was me. I grabbed ground beef, some pasta shells, and fresh veggies I had on hand, and just went with the flow. Little did I know, it would turn into this beloved family favorite that even my finicky little niece begs for. Now, each time I whip this up, it reminds me of that spontaneous evening, full of hearty laughs and comfort food, surrounded by the people I love.
Alright, let’s talk about why this isn’t just any ordinary beef pasta skillet. First off, it’s fast—like, you can win a race against your hungry stomach kind of fast. Secondly, it’s packed with nutritional goodness. We’re talking baby spinach (your muscles will thank you) and diced tomatoes (hello, antioxidants). Then there’s the whole symphony of flavors that dance in your mouth—the right balance of creamy and tangy with the Italian seasoning sprinkled in like fairy dust. And if you’re one of those people who believe cheese makes everything better (join the club!), this dish has the mesmerizing, melty goodness of Parmesan.
Ingredients
16 oz box of medium-sized pasta shells
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil preferably extra virgin
½ medium-sized onion finely diced
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach thoroughly washed
Two 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes inclusive of juices
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 cloves of garlic minced (alternatively, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used)
¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon salt adjust according to preference
¾ cup water reserved from cooked pasta
½ cup heavy cream this ingredient is optional
Instructions
Commence by preparing the pasta shells. Cook them according to the manufacturer’s guidelines until they reach an al dente texture. Post cooking, drain the pasta while ensuring the reservation of approximately ¾ cup of the cooking water. Subsequently, toss the drained pasta in a tablespoon of olive oil and set it aside for later integration.
Concurrently, as the pasta cooks, proceed with the beef preparation. In a large skillet, introduce a tablespoon of olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil achieves a slight shimmer, incorporate the diced onions. Allow the onions to cook until translucent, typically requiring 1-2 minutes. Following this, add the ground beef to the skillet. Continue cooking while stirring intermittently until the beef is thoroughly browned, which usually takes about 7-9 minutes. Drain off any surplus oil that accumulates during this process.
Upon satisfactory cooking of the beef, integrate the baby spinach, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, minced garlic, and all requisite seasonings into the skillet. Allow the mixture to cook until the spinach has wilted and all the ingredients have amalgamated seamlessly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and proceed to introduce the reserved pasta water, optional heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Continuously stir this concoction and let it simmer, ensuring the cheese melts uniformly into the sauce and the mixture slightly thickens.
To finalize, incorporate the previously prepared pasta into the skillet, ensuring that every pasta shell is adequately coated with the beef and cheese mixture.
As a garnish, consider adding an additional sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, finely chopped basil, or parsley prior to serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1497IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 4mg
Ingredients
- 16 oz box of medium-sized pasta shells
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil preferably extra virgin
- ½ medium-sized onion finely diced
- 2 -3 cups fresh baby spinach thoroughly washed
- Two cans diced tomatoes inclusive of juices
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic minced (alternatively, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used)
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust according to preference
- ¾ cup water reserved from cooked pasta
- ½ cup heavy cream this ingredient is optional
Directions
- Commence by preparing the pasta shells. Cook them according to the manufacturer’s guidelines until they reach an al dente texture. Post cooking, drain the pasta while ensuring the reservation of approximately ¾ cup of the cooking water. Subsequently, toss the drained pasta in a tablespoon of olive oil and set it aside for later integration.
- Concurrently, as the pasta cooks, proceed with the beef preparation. In a large skillet, introduce a tablespoon of olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil achieves a slight shimmer, incorporate the diced onions. Allow the onions to cook until translucent, typically requiring 1-2 minutes. Following this, add the ground beef to the skillet. Continue cooking while stirring intermittently until the beef is thoroughly browned, which usually takes about 7-9 minutes. Drain off any surplus oil that accumulates during this process.
- Upon satisfactory cooking of the beef, integrate the baby spinach, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, minced garlic, and all requisite seasonings into the skillet. Allow the mixture to cook until the spinach has wilted and all the ingredients have amalgamated seamlessly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and proceed to introduce the reserved pasta water, optional heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Continuously stir this concoction and let it simmer, ensuring the cheese melts uniformly into the sauce and the mixture slightly thickens.
- To finalize, incorporate the previously prepared pasta into the skillet, ensuring that every pasta shell is adequately coated with the beef and cheese mixture.
- As a garnish, consider adding an additional sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, finely chopped basil, or parsley prior to serving.