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Hi Folks, so this is the recipe i make when i’m too tired to think. which is basically every tuesday.
My mom used to make something like this when i was growing up but hers had way more vegetables and honestly? i picked them all out. Now i have kids who do the same thing to me lol. Karma i guess.
The thing about this recipe is it’s all in one pot. You don’t even boil the pasta separately. I know that sounds weird but it works. The pasta cooks right in the sauce and soaks up all the flavor. Plus less dishes which is the real win here.
First time i tried it the pasta got a little mushy because i wasn’t paying attention. Was scrolling Instagram and forgot to stir. Learn from my mistakes. Set a timer.
why this recipe actually works
- One pot means you’re not standing at the stove babysitting multiple things. Gets done in maybe 30-35 minutes total.
- The pasta shells are good at holding onto the meat and sauce. Like little pockets of flavor or whatever.
- Ground beef is cheap and you probably already have it. I buy the family packs when they’re on sale.
- Kids eat it without complaining. That alone makes it worth keeping in rotation.
- Leftovers are honestly better the next day. The flavors get more concentrated or something.
what you need
- 1 pound ground beef – i use 80/20, the leaner stuff is too dry
- 1 pound pasta shells – medium size, not the jumbo ones
- 1 jar marinara sauce – about 24 ounces, whatever brand is fine
- 1 can diced tomatoes – 14.5 oz, don’t drain it
- 1 onion, diced – yellow or white, doesn’t matter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced – or use the jarred stuff, no judgment
- 2 cups beef broth – or chicken broth, or even water in a pinch
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – the dried herbs blend
- Salt and pepper – to taste, i’m bad at measuring this
- Shredded cheese for topping – mozzarella or cheddar, whatever you have
How to make it
Get your pot ready. You need a big one. Like your biggest pot with a lid. Dutch oven works great.
Brown the beef. Put it in the pot over medium-high heat. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Takes maybe 5-7 minutes. Drain most of the fat but you can leave a little for flavor.
Add the onion. Toss it in with the beef. Cook until it gets soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Your kitchen should smell really good right now.
Pour in the liquids. Add your marinara sauce, the can of diced tomatoes with all the juice, and the beef broth. Stir it around. Add the Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper. Maybe a teaspoon of salt? I always just eyeball it.
Add the pasta. This is the weird part. Just dump the dry pasta shells right into the sauce. Stir everything together so the pasta is mostly covered by liquid.
Let it simmer. Bring the whole thing to a boil. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and put the lid on. Let it simmer for about 15-18 minutes. Stir it every few minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom. Trust me on this.
Check if it’s done. The pasta should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed. If it looks too liquidy just let it cook a few more minutes with the lid off.
Add cheese. Turn off the heat and sprinkle cheese on top. Put the lid back on for a couple minutes so it melts. Then serve.
tips that actually help
If the pasta isn’t cooking evenly: Some shells might stick together at first. Just stir it more often in the first 5 minutes. Gets messy but it works.
Make it stretch further: I’ll add a can of kidney beans or black beans sometimes. Adds protein and makes it go further. My husband doesn’t even notice.
Spice it up: Add some red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño with the onions. I make two versions sometimes because my youngest can’t handle any spice at all.
Vegetable situation: You can sneak in some diced bell peppers or zucchini with the onions. Cut them really small. My kids still find them but maybe yours won’t.
storing leftovers
This keeps in the fridge for about 4 days in a covered container. The pasta absorbs more sauce as it sits so you might need to add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
I usually just microwave individual portions. About 2 minutes on high. Stir it halfway through.
It freezes okay but the pasta texture gets a little weird. Not terrible just not as good as fresh. I’ve done it when i made a double batch though. Froze half for later. Lasted about 3 months in the freezer.
nutrition facts (per serving)
Makes about 6 servings
- Calories: 485
- Protein: 28g
- Carbs: 58g
- Fat: 15g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
These are approximate. I’m not a nutritionist just using an online calculator.
Questions people ask me:
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yeah probably. I’ve done it with penne and rigatoni. Anything tube-shaped works. The cooking time might be slightly different so just keep an eye on it. Small shells cook faster than big ones.
What if I don’t have beef broth?
Use chicken broth or vegetable broth. Or honestly just water. It won’t have quite as much flavor but the marinara sauce does most of the work anyway. I’ve used water before when i forgot to buy broth and it was fine.
Can I use ground turkey instead?
Sure. It’s leaner so it might be a little drier. I’d add an extra splash of broth or a tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from getting too dry. My sister does this all the time and her kids eat it.
Mine turned out watery, what happened?
Probably needed to cook longer with the lid off. Or you used too much broth. Next time use maybe 1.5 cups instead of 2. Also some marinara sauces are thinner than others. The cheap watery ones don’t work as well for this recipe.
anyway that’s it. It’s not fancy but it gets dinner on the table. Mine aren’t perfect either but my kids don’t complain and that’s the whole point right?
let me know if you try it.
