{"id":1885,"date":"2026-02-14T23:28:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T23:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=1885"},"modified":"2026-02-14T23:28:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T23:28:14","slug":"pasta-shells-with-ground-beef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=1885","title":{"rendered":"Pasta Shells with Ground Beef"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>Pasta Shells with Ground Beef<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Pasta shells with ground beef is a hearty, comforting, and easy-to-make meal that\u2019s perfect for lunch or dinner. This dish combines tender pasta shells with flavorful seasoned ground beef and rich tomato sauce. It\u2019s simple, budget-friendly, and loved by both kids and adults.<\/p>\n<h2>Ingredients<\/h2>\n<h3>For the Pasta:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>12 ounces (340g) medium pasta shells<\/li>\n<li>Water for boiling<\/li>\n<li>1 tablespoon salt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>For the Ground Beef Sauce:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>1 pound (450g) ground beef<\/li>\n<li>2 tablespoons olive oil<\/li>\n<li>1 medium onion, finely chopped<\/li>\n<li>3 cloves garlic, minced<\/li>\n<li>2 cups tomato sauce<\/li>\n<li>1 cup crushed tomatoes<\/li>\n<li>1 tablespoon tomato paste<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon black pepper<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon paprika<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon dried oregano<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon dried basil<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon chili flakes (optional)<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon sugar (optional, reduces acidity)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Optional Ingredients:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese<\/li>\n<li>\u00bc cup grated Parmesan cheese<\/li>\n<li>Fresh parsley for garnish<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Instructions<\/h2>\n<h3>Step 1: Cook the Pasta<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.<\/li>\n<li>Add salt to the boiling water.<\/li>\n<li>Add the pasta shells and cook according to package instructions (usually 8\u201310 minutes).<\/li>\n<li>Cook until al dente (firm but tender).<\/li>\n<li>Drain the pasta and set aside.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Step 2: Prepare the Ground Beef<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.<\/li>\n<li>Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3\u20134 minutes until soft and translucent.<\/li>\n<li>Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.<\/li>\n<li>Add the ground beef and cook until browned (about 6\u20138 minutes).<\/li>\n<li>Break the meat into small pieces while cooking.<\/li>\n<li>Drain excess fat if necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Step 3: Make the Sauce<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Add tomato paste to the beef and stir for 1 minute.<\/li>\n<li>Pour in tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes.<\/li>\n<li>Add salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, basil, and chili flakes.<\/li>\n<li>Stir well and reduce heat to low.<\/li>\n<li>Let the sauce simmer for 10\u201315 minutes to develop flavor.<\/li>\n<li>Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Step 4: Combine Everything<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Add the cooked pasta shells to the skillet with the sauce.<\/li>\n<li>Mix well until all pasta is coated.<\/li>\n<li>Cook together for 2\u20133 minutes to blend the flavors.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Optional Baked Version<\/h2>\n<p>If you want a cheesy baked version:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Preheat oven to 375\u00b0F (190\u00b0C).<\/li>\n<li>Transfer the pasta mixture into a baking dish.<\/li>\n<li>Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.<\/li>\n<li>Bake for 15\u201320 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Serving Suggestions<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Serve hot with garlic bread.<\/li>\n<li>Add a fresh green salad on the side.<\/li>\n<li>Sprinkle extra Parmesan before serving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Storage Tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.<\/li>\n<li>Freeze for up to 2 months.<\/li>\n<li>Reheat in the microwave or on the stove with a little water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Cooking Time<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Preparation Time: 10 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Cooking Time: 25 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Total Time: 35 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Serves: 4\u20136 people<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This pasta shells with ground beef recipe is flavorful, filling, and easy to customize. You can add vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach for extra nutrition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Pasta Shells with Ground Beef &nbsp; Pasta shells with ground beef is a hearty, comforting, and easy-to-make meal that\u2019s&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1885"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1887,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885\/revisions\/1887"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}