This is a baked pasta with ground beef, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and two cheeses — straightforward to make and genuinely filling. It comes together in one skillet before going into the oven, which keeps the washing up short. At 918 calories per portion it’s a proper dinner, not a light bite.
Before you start
The one technique worth getting right is browning the beef properly. Crowd the skillet and it steams instead of browns — cook in a single layer over medium-high heat and don’t stir for the first two minutes. That browning adds flavor the cream and tomatoes can’t replace. The second thing that matters: cook the pasta shells only to al dente before baking, not fully soft. They keep cooking in the oven for 15–20 minutes inside a hot, wet sauce. Pull them out of the boiling water when they still have a slight bite, or you’ll end up with a mushy bake.
Substitutions that actually work
- Pasta shells: Any short pasta with hollows or ridges — rigatoni, penne, or fusilli — holds the sauce well. Avoid spaghetti or flat shapes here.
- Heavy cream: Half cream, half whole milk works fine. Avoid low-fat milk on its own; the sauce can split in the oven heat.
- Mozzarella: Low-moisture block mozzarella (grated yourself) melts more evenly than fresh mozzarella balls, which release too much water and can make the top soggy.
- Parmesan: Pecorino Romano is a direct swap. Pre-grated shelf-stable Parmesan works but browns faster, so check the dish at the 15-minute mark.
Troubleshooting
- Sauce looks thin before baking: That’s normal — the pasta absorbs liquid as it bakes. If it still looks watery after 10 minutes in the oven, remove the foil (if using one) and let the top dry out slightly.
- Cheese topping burns before the center heats through: Your oven runs hot, or the baking dish is too shallow. Tent loosely with foil for the first 10 minutes, then remove it to brown the cheese.
- Beef is grey and greasy, not browned: The skillet wasn’t hot enough, or the beef was added straight from the fridge. Let the meat sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking, and make sure the oil is shimmering before it goes in. Drain excess fat after browning if there’s a visible pool — too much fat makes the finished sauce greasy.
- Pasta sticks together after draining: Toss the drained shells with a tiny drizzle of olive oil if you’re not combining them with the sauce immediately. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish — and get the pasta into the sauce while both are still warm so they bind properly.
- Bake is dry and tight after reheating: Add a splash of water or milk (2–3 tablespoons) before reheating, cover with foil, and warm at 160°C (320°F) until hot through. The pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits in the fridge overnight.
Creamy Beef Mince and Tomato Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta shells - preferably organic
1 tbsp olive oil - extra virgin
1 medium onion - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced- 500 g beef mince - grass-fed
1 can crushed tomatoes - 400g/14oz, no added salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
200 ml cream - heavy, organic
100 g mozzarella cheese - grated
50 g Parmesan cheese - grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Cook the pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add beef mince to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Pour the cream into the tomato and beef mixture, stirring until well combined and creamy. Remove from heat.
- Combine cooked pasta with the creamy beef mixture. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle the grated mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I assemble this the night before and bake it the next day?
Yes. Assemble the dish up to the point of adding the cheese, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Add the cheese just before baking, and expect to add 5–10 minutes to the bake time since everything starts cold.
How do I know the ground beef is fully cooked?
Ground beef is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Visually, it should be completely browned with no pink remaining before you add the tomatoes — the simmering and baking stages don’t reliably finish off undercooked meat.
Can I freeze this after baking?
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion it into airtight containers once fully cooled, and reheat from frozen covered in foil at 180°C (350°F) for about 30–35 minutes, or thaw overnight in the fridge first for faster reheating.
My sauce tastes flat — what’s missing?
It’s almost always seasoning. Crushed tomatoes vary a lot in saltiness, and pasta water, cream, and cheese all dilute the seasoning. Taste the sauce after the 10-minute simmer and before adding the cream, then adjust salt and pepper at that stage rather than after baking.
Can I add vegetables without changing the bake time?
Yes, if you add them at the right stage. Diced zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach can go in with the beef after it’s browned — they’ll cook down during the 10-minute simmer. Avoid hard vegetables like raw carrot or broccoli florets unless you pre-cook them, as they won’t soften fully in the oven.
Do I need to cover the baking dish with foil?
The recipe doesn’t require it, but if your oven runs hot or your dish is shallow, a foil tent for the first half of baking prevents the cheese from over-browning before the center is hot. Remove the foil for the last 5–8 minutes to get the golden, bubbly top.
What to cook next
- Creamy Beef Spinach Pasta
- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
