Description
You’re going to fall in love with this creamy, cheesy, and flavor-packed dinner! Crockpot Cheesy Ranch Beef Pasta Shells is the kind of comfort food that wraps you in a hug. With savory ground beef, tangy ranch seasoning, melty cheddar, and tender pasta shells, this easy recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners, lazy Sundays, or meal prep for busy days. This is the ultimate go-to when you’re craving an easy dinner, quick comfort food, or family-friendly pasta dish. Whether you’re hunting for food ideas, healthy-ish dinners, or hearty one-pot meals, this one delivers big on flavor and ease.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
3 cups medium pasta shells
1 packet ranch seasoning mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups beef broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
2. Add cooked beef to the crockpot along with ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and beef broth. Stir well.
3. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
4. Add cubed cream cheese and shredded cheddar. Stir until fully melted and incorporated.
5. In the meantime, cook pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
6. Add cooked pasta to the crockpot. Stir to combine and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, swap ground beef with ground turkey and use low-fat cream cheese.
Don’t overcook the pasta before adding to the crockpot—it will soften further while resting in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 110mg