Italian Basil Beef And Shells
Servings 8 servings
Calories 725kcal
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box medium-size shells
- 1 medium onion diced
- Olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 8 oz chive and onion cream cheese, softened
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 3 Tbsp butter melted
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 6 oz prepared Basil pesto
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes rinsed and chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray, Set aside.
- Cook the pasta shells in salted water per the package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat cook the diced onion in a few drizzles of olive oil for 2 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef. (Tip: Using a large pot doubles as the mixing bowl)
- Season the beef with Italian seasoning, garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook the beef until no pink remains. Drain all excess fat from the pot.
- To the ground beef add the cream cheese, half and half and butter. Stir until the cream cheese has completely melted.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add 2 cups shredded cheese, pesto, sundried tomatoes , Parmesan and cooked pasta. Mix well.
- Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese. Top with the remaining pasta and 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Check at 30 minutes and cover with foil, if needed.
- Let stand on the counter for 5 minutes then garnish with chopped parsley just,before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 725kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1199mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 423mg | Iron: 3mg