Campground Meat Shells
Easy shell pasta with ground beef, sweet peppers, and a hearty marinara sauce.
Campground Meat Shells are my kind of vacation dinner: tender pasta shells tossed in a hearty meat sauce with sweet onion, red bell pepper, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. A jar of marinara and three simple seasonings bring everything together without needing access to your entire spice cabinet.
Camping, With Certain Requirements
We are staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness in a luxury cabin, and yes, I am calling that camping. There are trees outside. I brought groceries. I am making dinner in the woods. The fact that I also have air conditioning and a fully outfitted kitchen is simply good planning.
The cabin has pots, pans, and cooking utensils, which makes cooking a meal pretty easy. What it does not have is my spice cabinet. Last year, I packed my seasonings and brought them with us since we drove. This year, I forgot. Apparently, remembering to pack my entire life did not include the Italian seasoning.
Pasta Sunday Goes on Vacation
Making pasta has become a little tradition for us when we stay at the cabins. It was Sunday, and Mr. Tipsy loves a good pasta Sunday. He grew up with a Sicilian mom, so a hearty plate of pasta is a pretty easy way to make him happy.
I wanted to keep that tradition going without buying twelve bottles of seasonings that I would then have to find room for on the drive home. Black pepper, Lawry’s garlic salt, and dried Italian seasoning were enough to get us where we needed to go. A flavorful jar of marinara did some of the heavy lifting.
Before You Jump to the Recipe
- This is a stovetop pasta dinner. You will need a large, deep skillet or pot for the sauce and a separate pot to boil the shells.
- Use a marinara you enjoy. Rao’s, your favorite store brand, or homemade marinara can work here.
- Season in layers. I season the vegetables first and the beef again as it cooks.
- Go easy on the garlic salt at first. The canned tomatoes and marinara bring salt of their own. Taste the sauce before adding more.
- The green chilies add a little kick. Choose a mild variety if you prefer less heat.
- Keep the pasta firm. It finishes cooking in the meat sauce for about 10 minutes.
- You do not need to be camping. This is just as useful for a regular Sunday dinner at home.
Start With Sweet Onion and Red Bell Pepper
I start by cooking a diced sweet onion and red bell pepper in butter until they are nice and soft, with some golden color. Give them time here. That sweet, buttery vegetable base adds flavor before the beef or marinara even goes into the pot.
Season the vegetables with black pepper, garlic salt, and dried Italian seasoning while they cook. I like a lot of herb flavor, and I believe I used about a tablespoon of Italian seasoning in the whole dish. You can adjust that to your own taste.
The Little Twist in the Sauce
Next, I add a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies and onions, along with the juices. I believe the one I used was RO-TEL, but use the variety you like. Let that cook with the peppers and onions for a few minutes before adding the meat.
The green chilies give the sauce a little extra flavor and a touch of heat. This is the dinner I made with the groceries I had while on vacation, so I am not claiming any rules of traditional Italian cooking here. We wanted a good pasta dinner, and this delivered.
Break Up the Beef
I use a pound of lean ground beef and break it into a fine crumble as it cooks. Smaller crumbles mix nicely throughout the sauce and tuck into the pasta shells, so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Cook the beef through and let it develop some browned bits, then season again with black pepper, garlic salt, and Italian herbs. The tomatoes add moisture, so it may take a little time for the liquid to cook down enough for the beef to brown. If your beef releases excess grease, carefully spoon that off before adding the marinara.
Use the Marinara You Like
I used Rao’s for this batch because I enjoy the flavor, and it made a convenient starting point for the sauce. You do not have to use an expensive jar of marinara to make this dinner. A store brand you already like is perfectly fine.
At home, I personally love the black-label marinara from Aldi. I was shopping in Florida for this meal, and the store I shopped at did not have it. That is the kind of situation where you pick another sauce you enjoy and keep dinner moving.
A classic marinara is an easy choice, but a tomato basil sauce or roasted garlic tomato sauce would also work. A spicy tomato sauce is another option if you like heat; just remember that the canned tomatoes with green chilies already bring some. Homemade marinara is welcome here, too.
Whichever sauce you choose, taste before adding the final round of garlic salt. Some sauces are saltier, sweeter, or more heavily seasoned than others. A thicker sauce may need a little extra water, while a thinner one may need a few more minutes of simmering.
Do Not Leave Sauce in the Jar
Once the marinara goes into the pot, I add about half a cup of water to the empty jar, put the lid back on, and give it a shake. Pour that into the sauce so you get the last of the marinara out of the jar.
Let everything gently simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This gives the beef, vegetables, herbs, and jarred sauce time to come together. If the sauce gets too thick before the pasta is ready, add a small splash of water.
Why I Like Shell Pasta Here
Shells have little pockets that catch the crumbled beef and sauce. They make this a hearty, scoopable pasta dinner without any stuffing or baking involved.
Boil the shells separately until al dente, then drain and stir them into the sauce. Let everything cook together over low heat for about another 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the texture, and add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce starts getting too thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a store-brand marinara?
Absolutely. Use a sauce you enjoy eating. The onions, peppers, beef, and seasonings add plenty of flavor, so there is no need to buy a particular brand. My personal Aldi favorite is the black-label marinara, but I used Rao’s for this batch.
Is this pasta spicy?
It can have a little heat from the diced tomatoes with green chilies. The amount depends on the variety you buy and your own tolerance. Choose mild tomatoes with green chilies for less heat, or substitute plain diced tomatoes for a version without the chilies.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Rotini, penne, elbows, or another short pasta would work. I like shells because they catch the beef and sauce. Cook whichever shape you choose until al dente before adding it to the sauce, and watch the texture during the final simmer.
Do I drain the canned tomatoes?
No. Add the juices along with the tomatoes. They become part of the sauce and cook down as everything simmers.
Can I use ground turkey or Italian sausage?
Either would be a reasonable variation, although the version I made uses lean ground beef. Turkey will have a milder flavor, while Italian sausage will add its own seasonings and salt. With sausage, especially, taste before adding more garlic salt.
Can I use garlic powder instead of garlic salt?
Yes. Garlic powder adds garlic flavor without the salt. Season with garlic powder to taste, then add regular salt separately only if the finished sauce needs it.
Do I have to cook the pasta separately?
For this recipe, yes. The sauce is made for cooked, drained pasta. Adding dry shells directly would require different liquid amounts and cooking times.
Why finish the pasta in the sauce?
Those last few minutes bring everything together and let the shells take on the sauce’s flavor. Keep the heat low and check the pasta as it cooks so it stays as firm or tender as you like.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. You can prepare the meat sauce ahead, then cook the pasta when you are ready to finish dinner. Warm the sauce before stirring in the freshly cooked shells.
How do I keep the pasta from getting dry?
Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining. Stir in a little at a time during the final cooking stage if the sauce gets too thick. Keep the heat low, and stop cooking once the pasta is tender enough for you.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
If you like an easy pasta dinner, here are a few more recipes to add to your list. Some are perfect for pasta Sunday, and others are just what you need when you want a comforting dinner without making a whole production out of it.
Campground Meat Shells Recipe
A hearty stovetop shell pasta dinner made with lean ground beef, sweet onion, red bell pepper, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and your favorite jarred marinara. Three simple seasonings make this an easy meal for vacation cooking or pasta Sunday at home.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of Butter, enough to sauté the vegetables
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- Black pepper, to taste, divided
- Lawry’s garlic salt, to taste, divided
- Approximately 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, divided, or to taste
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies and onions, undrained (14.5 ounce can)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 jar Rao’s marinara, or another marinara you enjoy
- Approximately ½ cup water, plus a little more if needed
- Dry shell pasta (8 ounces, I use 1/2 of a 16 ounce box)
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden brown.
- Season and add the tomatoes. Season with some of the black pepper, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning. Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few minutes.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and break it into a fine crumble. Cook until fully cooked through and beginning to brown, allowing excess liquid to cook off as needed. Carefully spoon off excess grease if necessary.
- Season again. Add more black pepper, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning to taste, keeping in mind that the marinara will also contribute seasoning.
- Add the marinara. Stir in the jar of sauce. Add approximately ½ cup water to the empty jar, replace the lid, and shake to loosen the remaining sauce. Pour it into the pot.
- Simmer. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, cook the shells in a separate pot according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve a little pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Finish together. Fold the drained shells into the meat sauce. Cook over low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring gently and checking the pasta for your preferred tenderness. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Taste and serve. Taste the finished pasta and adjust the seasonings before serving.
Notes
Can I use a store-brand marinara?
Absolutely. Use a sauce you enjoy eating. The onions, peppers, beef, and seasonings add plenty of flavor, so there is no need to buy a particular brand. My personal Aldi favorite is the black-label marinara, but I used Rao’s for this batch.
Is this pasta spicy?
It can have a little heat from the diced tomatoes with green chilies. The amount depends on the variety you buy and your own tolerance. Choose mild tomatoes with green chilies for less heat, or substitute plain diced tomatoes for a version without the chilies.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Rotini, penne, elbows, or another short pasta would work. I like shells because they catch the beef and sauce. Cook whichever shape you choose until al dente before adding it to the sauce, and watch the texture during the final simmer.
Do I drain the canned tomatoes?
No. Add the juices along with the tomatoes. They become part of the sauce and cook down as everything simmers.
Can I use ground turkey or Italian sausage?
Either would be a reasonable variation, although the version I made uses lean ground beef. Turkey will have a milder flavor, while Italian sausage will add its own seasonings and salt. With sausage, especially, taste before adding more garlic salt.
Can I use garlic powder instead of garlic salt?
Yes. Garlic powder adds garlic flavor without the salt. Season with garlic powder to taste, then add regular salt separately only if the finished sauce needs it.
Do I have to cook the pasta separately?
For this recipe, yes. The sauce is made for cooked, drained pasta. Adding dry shells directly would require different liquid amounts and cooking times.
Why finish the pasta in the sauce?
Those last few minutes bring everything together and let the shells take on the sauce’s flavor. Keep the heat low and check the pasta as it cooks so it stays as firm or tender as you like.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. You can prepare the meat sauce ahead, then cook the pasta when you are ready to finish dinner. Warm the sauce before stirring in the freshly cooked shells.
How do I keep the pasta from getting dry?
Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining. Stir in a little at a time during the final cooking stage if the sauce gets too thick. Keep the heat low, and stop cooking once the pasta is tender enough for you.