Description
A hearty pasta dish featuring medium pasta shells simmered in a rich beefy tomato sauce and topped with bubbling golden cheese.
Ingredients
- Medium pasta shells
- Ground beef
- Tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Onion (diced)
- Garlic (minced)
- Olive oil
- Italian seasoning
- Paprika
- Salt & black pepper
- Crushed red pepper (optional)
- Fresh parsley (chopped)
- Grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta shells until just al dente, then drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and cook briefly.
- Add ground beef, breaking it apart and browning until fully cooked. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Stir in tomato passata and simmer for 10 minutes until thick and rich.
- Fold in cooked pasta shells, coating them evenly in the sauce.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden. Finish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- For extra heat, add crushed red pepper to taste.
- Feel free to substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
- Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg