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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. Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef is a little like homemade Hamburger Helper, only much, much better.

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

To make Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef, first use the saute mode to cook a pound of lean ground beef and a chopped onion. Then add your flavors- dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes plus a tablespoon of tomato paste.

Once the ground beef is no longer pink, pour the uncooked pasta shells on top. 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. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.

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.

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.

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!

More Instant Pot Recipes

Watch the video below to see how to make Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef

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. 
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 6

Equipment

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

  • Add olive oil to the inner pot of an Instant Pot. Turn on “Saute” mode. Add onion and cook until starting to get soft.
  • Add ground beef and cook and crumble it with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Turn Instant Pot off.
  • Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes and tomato paste and stir.
  • Pour shells on top of ground beef mixture. 
  • Pour pasta sauce and water on top of shells. Do not stir, but press shells down into liquid with the back of a spoon.
  • Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is in “sealing” position. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 684kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1341mg | Potassium: 922mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1426IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ground beef, pasta

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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.

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140 thoughts on “Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef”

  1. Do I need to adjust recipe as I only have large shell pasta…could not find medium shells

  2. I made this. Haven’t eaten it yet, but it smells wonderful. Problem is: I kept getting the “burn” error on my Instant Pot (pretty new—got it a couple months ago). Even though I followed the recipe, including pressing the pasta down rather than stirring, the stuff kept burning on the bottom of the pot, and then i’d Get that message. Tried three times, and it was fairly cooked, even though I never go to full pressure. Had to simmer on the stone top a bit to reduce the liquid. We’ll see how it goes…

    1. If there is anything stuck to the bottom of the pot after you brown your meat you will get that notice. In that case you may have to remove the meat, put the pot on sauté then add some of the water you’ll use from the recipe and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Then add the meat back in then the other ingredients and cook as instructed. Hope this helps!

  3. I made this with garlic and onion pasta sauce. Was so delicious. Sadly there were no left overs for lunch tomorrow.

  4. This was my first meal in my Instant Pot and have made it several times since. It’s pretty awesome and so easy.

  5. Hi, you mention a tablespoon of tomato paste in your post, but not in the recipe portion. Is it supposed to be added? Thanks.

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      Thank you so much for catching that! I fixed the recipe. It isn’t really needed, I just like a little extra tomato flavor.

  6. It looks so creamy and cheesy! My two favorite qualities of food! I can’t wait to try it.

  7. I made this tonight in my instant pot, initially the shells were a lil hard so i put the lid back on and kept it on warm, and wow!!!! What a hit!!! Easy and five stars for sure!!!!

  8. i just made it and came out perfectly. I used a different type of noodle since I didn’t have shells handy. Crowd pleaser and good left overs. comfort food.

  9. I’m going to make this tonight without an instant pot. I’m nervous about the outcome, will it cook the same. ?

  10. Delicious and easy. I used ground turkey instead of beef and spiced it up with red pepper flakes.

  11. I don’t own instant pot yet but this recipe looks delicious! How can I make it without a instant pot?

    1. It can be made in a regular pot just fine. Just be vigilant for burning, as it goes south quite quickly. However, it is just as delicious.

      1. I have an insta-pot but not with pressure cooker option. What setting and how long?? Thank you!

        1. I could be wrong so I hope, if i am, someone will chime in. On my instant pot duo it’s the “manual” button in place of the term “pressure cook”. Hope this helps 🙂 I had to search through videos to find this out since the manual isn’t very detailed in explaining.

        2. I have the crock pot pressure cooker/slow cooker combo and it suggested using the beans/chili option and set your pressure to high or low and set the timer. Hope this helps! I just tried this recipe tonight—still in the pot actually. Noodles didn’t cook at all after the initial 5 min time, so I turned it on for another 5 min, and am doing the natural release as I’m assuming that’s what manual release is, because the other option is Quick Release. We’ll see how it turns out!

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