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.
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.)
- To make Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef, first use the sauté mode to cook a chopped onion until getting soft.
- Then add ground beef.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
★★★★★
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.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItMore Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Mississippi Roast
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Instant Pot Swiss Chicken
- Instant Pot Caesar Chicken
- Instant Pot 3-Packet Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally posted June 6, 2018.
Recipe adapted from Meatloaf and Melodrama
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Keeps burning followed recipe to a T?😡
Can I double this recipe? If YES, how long should it cook in the IP?
Do I need to adjust recipe as I only have large shell pasta…could not find medium shells
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…
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!
I made this with garlic and onion pasta sauce. Was so delicious. Sadly there were no left overs for lunch tomorrow.
This was my first meal in my Instant Pot and have made it several times since. It’s pretty awesome and so easy.
What can I use in place of cream cheese?
Hi, you mention a tablespoon of tomato paste in your post, but not in the recipe portion. Is it supposed to be added? Thanks.
Thank you so much for catching that! I fixed the recipe. It isn’t really needed, I just like a little extra tomato flavor.
It looks so creamy and cheesy! My two favorite qualities of food! I can’t wait to try it.
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!!!!