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–+ servings

Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Italian Shells

The store-bought hamburger helper packages can leave a lot to be desired. This Italian shells recipe is perfect for those who like to make it homemade.
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesy italian hamburger helper, easy hamburger helper, hamburger helper, hamburger helper from scratch, hamburger helper recipe, hamburger helper recipe from scratch, homemade hamburger helper, homemade hamburger helper recipe, italian hamburger helper, italian shells hamburger helper, makeueat
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 1023kcal
Author: Make U Eat

Equipment

  • 1 Spatula or Cooking Spoon
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Measuring Cups/Spoons
  • 1 Large Skillet With Cover
  • 1 Meat Masher (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 LB 80/20 Ground Beef
  • 8 Oz Small Shells Pasta
  • 2 Cups Unsalted Beef Broth
  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 15 Oz Tomato Sauce
  • 4 Oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 1 TSP Onion Powder
  • 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
  • 1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 TSP Dried Basil
  • 1/2 TSP Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 TSP Dried Parsley
  • 1/4 TSP Ground Paprika
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat large skillet on medium heat
  • Once skillet is hot, add ground beef and break apart thoroughly. Cook ground beef until browned (approx. 5-10 minutes)***
  • Once browned, turn off heat and remove ground beef from heat and drain in colander
  • Place skillet back on stovetop burner and add ground beef back to skillet with heat turned off
  • Add beef broth, tomato sauce, pasta shells and seasoning to skillet and stir until well-blended with ground beef.
  • Turn on burner to high heat and warm skillet until boiling briskly.
  • Once boiling briskly, stir ingredients in skillet to ensure there's no sticking or clumping and reduce heat to low.
  • Cover skillet and allow hamburger helper to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.***
  • After 10 minutes, remove cover and add heavy whipping cream + cheeses to skillet, then stir until well-blended with other ingredients
  • Place cover back on skillet and continue to simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.***
  • Stir hamburger helper to ensure no clumping or stick then remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

***The exact cooking time may vary, depending on the type of stove and skillet that's used. 
Disclaimer

Nutrition

Calories: 1023kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1469mg | Potassium: 1198mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1442IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 432mg | Iron: 5mg