Description
Scrumptious Philly cheesesteak pasta shells combine classic Philadelphian sandwich flavors with comforting pasta. Hearty ingredients meld together, creating a satisfying dish that brings regional culinary magic right to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) lean ground beef
- 24 jumbo pasta shells, cooked
- 8 oz (227 grams) cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (divided)
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk (whole recommended)
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) beef broth
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 2 tbsps butter
- 2 tbsps ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and ready a cast iron skillet and baking dish for this culinary journey.
- Meat Development: Sear ground beef in skillet, cultivating a caramelized crust and achieving a golden-brown exterior while breaking the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Vegetable Infusion: Remove beef, utilize existing skillet drippings to sauté onions and bell peppers, creating a rich, golden base that amplifies the dish’s depth of flavor.
- Flavor Layering: Reunite beef with sautéed vegetables, introducing ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper to create a harmonious and robust filling.
- Shell Composition: Strategically stuff pasta shells with the savory beef mixture, nestling cheese cubes within each shell to ensure a molten core of richness.
- Cheese Sauce Creation: Construct a velvety sauce by whisking beef broth, milk, and cornstarch in the skillet, gradually melting remaining cheddar cheese while maintaining a smooth, luxurious texture.
- Baking Transformation: Arrange stuffed shells in baking dish, drizzle with half the cheese sauce, and bake for 10 minutes to marry flavors and create a bubbling, golden-topped masterpiece.
- Elegant Presentation: Complete the dish by cascading remaining cheese sauce over the shells, delivering a decadent Philly cheesesteak-inspired culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Beef Browning: Achieve a deep golden-brown crust by avoiding constant stirring, letting the meat develop rich caramelization for maximum flavor intensity.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Gradually incorporate cheese into the sauce while whisking constantly to prevent clumping and ensure a smooth, velvety texture.
- Sauce Consistency Control: Use cornstarch as a thickening agent to create the perfect sauce viscosity, preventing separation and ensuring a luxurious coating.
- Shell Stuffing Strategy: Distribute cheese cubes evenly inside pasta shells before baking to guarantee melted pockets of cheesy goodness in every bite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg