Main Dishes

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef is pure comfort food. This easy Instant Pot dinner recipe is so creamy and

  • Serves 6
  • Prep 10 minutes
  • Cook 15 minutes
  • Total 25 minutes

ground beefpasta

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Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

Made from simple ingredients, it is perfect for a busy weeknight meal and is sure to be a family favorite.

How To Make

(More detailed instructions and video in recipe card below.)

  1. To make Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef, first use the sauté mode to cook a chopped onion until getting soft.
    Cooking the onions.
  2. Then add ground beef.
    Cooking the ground beef.
  3. When ground beef is no longer pink, add your flavors- dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes plus a tablespoon of tomato paste.
    Adding Italian seasoning.
  4. Pour the uncooked pasta shells on top.
    Adding uncooked pasta shells.
  5. Pour a jar of spaghetti sauce and 3 cups of water over the shells. Press the shells down into the liquid, but do not stir.
    Adding spaghetti sauce and water.
  6. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
  7. After pressure cooking, do a manual release. Stir in 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of heavy cream, and 2 ounces of softened cream cheese.
    Adding Parmesan cheese and heavy cream.
Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef is like a delicious homemade hamburger helper

The pasta soaks up so much flavor cooking this way rather than just being boiled in water and then mixed into sauce.

This Instant Pot recipe is so easy and so delicious. Your family will be fighting over the leftovers.

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

★★★★★
What readers are saying

This quickly became a family favorite. The kids could probably eat it every day and be happy. Leftovers are good for lunch the next day. And it’s very easy to improvise if I’m out of an ingredient or 2.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Make is spicier. Double the amount of crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Use ground turkey or ground Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
  • Mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • To make it vegetarian, use Impossible Beef.
Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef is so cheesy and good!

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More Instant Pot Recipes

Originally posted June 6, 2018.

Recipe adapted from Meatloaf and Melodrama

Creamy Shells & Beef made in an Instant Pot

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Recipe

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef is pure comfort food. This easy Instant Pot dinner recipe is so creamy and cheesy. Pasta shells and ground beef are cooked in a tomato sauce and then Parmesan cheese, cream, and cream cheese get mixed in.

  • Serves 6
  • Prep 10 minutes
  • Cook 15 minutes
  • Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow or sweet onion (diced)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 (16-ounce) box medium pasta shells (uncooked)
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ounces cream cheese (cut into chunks and softened)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Add olive oil to the inner pot of an Instant Pot. Turn on “Saute” mode. Add onion and cook until starting to get soft.

  2. 2

    Add ground beef and cook and crumble it with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Turn Instant Pot off.

  3. 3

    Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes and tomato paste and stir.

  4. 4

    Pour shells on top of ground beef mixture.

  5. 5

    Pour pasta sauce and water on top of shells. Do not stir, but press shells down into liquid with the back of a spoon.

  6. 6

    Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is in “sealing” position. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.

  7. 7

    Do a manual pressure release and when the pin drops, remove the lid. Stir in Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Serve.

Notes

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Nutritional info is provided as a guide only and will vary based on brands of products used. Not to be used for specific dietary needs.

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Nutrition

  • Calories684 kcal
  • Carbohydrates69 g
  • Protein35 g
  • Fat30 g
  • Saturated Fat16 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat9 g
  • Trans Fat0.3 g
  • Cholesterol116 mg
  • Sodium1341 mg
  • Potassium922 mg
  • Fiber5 g
  • Sugar9 g
  • Vitamin A1426 IU
  • Vitamin C10 mg
  • Calcium245 mg
  • Iron4 mg

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