It refers to this dish made with short pasta and seasoned ground beef in a sauce that is both tomato-based and dairy-based.

In this recipe, we are also adding in heavy cream and sour cream aside from the cheddar cheese while others add in cheese only. This makes this dish creamier overall.

Do you need to discard beef grease?
The answer is both yes and no. You will be throwing away flavor along with the grease when you discard it. So, there are two answers to this question.
Yes, if you used the kind that has too much fat. Since too much grease is not desirable so you need to discard it. Actually in this case, I like to leave about 1-2 tablespoons in the pan.

And no, if you used extra lean meat. Then there is not much grease that will develop, so you can keep that tiny amount and not discard it.

Hence, I strongly recommend that you use extra lean meat for this one as it would be more flavorful. And since this dish has sauce, do not worry about it getting too dry.

What can be used in place of marinara sauce?
Marinara is a simple sauce made with tomatoes and some aromatics like onion, garlic, and some seasonings. For this dish, you can simply substitute it with tomato sauce and probably add more of the aromatics and seasonings. Another option is to use canned diced tomatoes, I would recommend the fire roasted ones with herbs.

Recipe tips:
You can choose from penne, elbow macaroni, or rotini as a substitute for the shells.
To prevent the pasta from being soggy, make sure to cook it just al dente so that when you combine it with the sauce, further cooking will not make it too mushy.
Equally important is to drain the beef grease, just leave in 1-2 tablespoons for extra flavor.
You can vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini and carrots, but remember to sauce them with the onion until tender.

Creamy Beef and Shells
Creamy Beef and Shells is a hearty pasta dish that is perfect for a quick dinner for the whole family! It is rich, flavorful, and cheesy and even kids will love it!

Prep Time: 10minutes minutesCook Time: 20minutes minutesTotal Time: 30minutes minutes Servings: 6 servings Calories: 480kcal

Instructions