This easy to make, creamy beef pasta dish is a go to recipe for three reasons: it's quick, filling and is great as a leftover, too. A creamy tomato and cheese sauce covers tender pasta shells and chunks of seasoned ground beef. A hit with the kids and family alike.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil and cook pasta for 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain pasta. Do not rinse. Set aside and toss with some olive oil to help the shells not stick together.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more, stirring often. Add the ground beef and Italian seasoning. Break up the beef with a spoon and cook until no longer pink. Season the beef to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture. Stir to cook for a minute and add the heavy cream, beef stock, pasta water and tomato sauce. Stir to mix thoroughly and lower heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, sauce will thicken. Add the cheese and stir to incorporate.
Add the cooked pasta to the meat sauce and stir to combine. Cook another 3 minutes on low, season to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
If reheating leftovers, add 1/4 cup milk to loosen it up and get saucy as the pasta absorbs.