This is a great recipe if you want something that’s simple to make, and also is a good recipe for when you’re short on time.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
20 jumbo pasta shells (about 6 oz.)
4 oz. cream cheese
1 c. Monterrey jack cheese
1 c. taco sauce
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
1 c. cheddar cheese (or just use all of one kind of cheese)
1 1/2 c. salsa
Toppings:
3 green onions
Sour cream
Directions:
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees
Get the ground beef, heat up some oil in the pan, and then cook this till it browns. Put the taco seasoning in there, followed by the cream cheese. Let the mixture simmer until the cheese melts fully, the stir this until it is fully combined and let this fully cool down
Cook the shells following the directions on the box, and then drain this when finished. On a flat surface, put the shells on
Put the salsa into a baking dish, then a tablespoon or two of the meat into each shell, and then put them with the open part upwards into your baking dish. Get more taco sauce and put it on there until it’s all fully covered.
Foil this dish to cover it, then let it bake for about 20 minutes until everything’s mixed
Uncover the whole mixture, and then add some of the cheese over the top of this. You can then bake this for another few minutes until everything’s melted
Take it out of the oven when you’re finished, and then add some olives, green onions, salsa, and sour cream, if you desire it
Tips
Do I have to use beef?
Some people like to use ground turkey, but any meat that’s small, easy to ground up, and put in a shell is fair game. You can even use chorizo if you like your dish to have more of a kick to it!
Can I serve this with everything?
Most people like this alone because there’s already a lot going on with this, but a nice side salad or maybe a hearty soup is never a bad thing. Usually, this works well on its own, but if you want a side of chips for the extra salsa, you can always add that, since it does add a nice little touch to it.
What salsa should I use for this?
It’s up to you! You should try to steer away from super hot salsa since this will be put in a dish together, so make sure the salsa isn’t too hot that it’ll burn your mouth, but also a good one that does add lush flavoring to it.
If you’re lazy, regular salsa from the grocery store does the trick, especially the mild salsa!
Is it easily frozen?
Yes it is! Even though they’re pasta shells, this is in a casserole container, so it’s very easy to freeze up. If you decide to freeze this one up, when you’re ready to serve it, take it out and either microwave it, or put it in the oven to heat everything through before you decide to serve it, and then see how everyone likes it. Usually, you can add cheese to the top of this for good measure.