Conchitas, or pasta shells, make for an incredibly hearty and comforting soup. This Conchitas With Ground Beef recipe features toasty, golden brown pasta shells simmered in a flavorful tomato and chicken broth along with tender potatoes and savory ground beef. It’s a warming and satisfying one-pot meal that the whole family will love.
This Mexican-inspired Conchitas With Ground Beef soup is made in just one pot, keeping prep work and clean up to a minimum. It starts by frying up pasta shells in oil until crispy and browned before adding in lean ground beef that’s been seasoned to perfection. Diced potatoes are added to the pot along with the beef and shells to soak up all that delicious flavor. A quick tomato, garlic and chicken broth puree is then poured over the mixture to create an incredible, robust broth. Simmer everything together for just 10-12 minutes and dinner is ready! Kids and adults alike will devour bowl after bowl of this Conchitas With Ground Beef.
What kind of pasta shells can I use?
You can use small, medium or large pasta shells. Small shells like conchitas or medium sized shells both work well. I don’t recommend using extra large shells as they may not cook through fully.
Can I skip browning the pasta shells?
Browning the shells is important for flavor, but if you want to save time you can skip this step. The soup will still taste good but may lack the depth of flavor that browning provides.
What can I serve with this soup?
This Conchitas with Ground Beef is a complete one-pot meal, but it also pairs nicely with warm tortillas, lime wedges, diced avocado, shredded cheese like queso fresco or cotija, chopped onions, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, etc. Quesadillas also make for an easy and delicious pairing.
How long does this soup keep for?
Properly stored leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The flavors continue to improve, so taste and adjust seasoning as needed before reheating. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating. Add additional broth or water when reheating if thicker than desired.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 bags (7 ounces each) pasta shells
- 3 Roma tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) chicken broth
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pasta shells and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, about 5-7 minutes.
- Move the pasta shells to one side of the pot. Add the ground beef to the cleared space and season with salt, onion powder and garlic salt. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cumin, black pepper, potatoes and onion to the pot. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a blender, combine the tomatoes, garlic cloves and 1 can of chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture into the pot.
- Add the remaining 2 cans of chicken broth and a few sprigs of cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
- Taste and add more salt if needed. Remove cilantro sprigs if using.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Notes:
- You can substitute elbow macaroni or vermicelli noodles for the shells.
- For a meatless version, omit the ground beef.
- Use good quality chicken and beef broth for maximum flavor. Homemade or organic stocks would work very well.
- Browning the pasta shells adds delicious toasted notes. Take the time to evenly brown them before adding other ingredients.
- Season the ground beef well. Onion powder, garlic salt, cumin and black pepper give great flavor. Adjust to your taste.
- Allow the potatoes to simmer until very tender. They soak up the flavors of the broth as they cook.
- Play around with different garnishes like avocado, queso fresco, sour cream or tortilla strips. They make each bowl special.
- Substitute elbows or small shells if you can’t find conchita pasta. Any small short pasta works.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro right before serving for a pop of color and flavor. Its best when fresh.
- Make a big batch. The leftovers keep well for lunches or quick meals later in the week.
- For a spicier version, garnish bowls with sliced jalapeños, diced onions or hot sauce.
- Stretch this recipe to feed a crowd by adding more broth and pasta shells. It scales up easily. Recipe by Ineskohl.info
Tips:
- Use good quality chicken and beef broth for maximum flavor. Homemade or organic stocks would work very well.
- Browning the pasta shells adds delicious toasted notes. Take the time to evenly brown them before adding other ingredients.
- Season the ground beef well. Onion powder, garlic salt, cumin and black pepper give great flavor. Adjust to your taste.
- Allow the potatoes to simmer until very tender. They soak up the flavors of the broth as they cook.
- Play around with different garnishes like avocado, queso fresco, sour cream or tortilla strips. They make each bowl special.
- Substitute elbows or small shells if you can’t find conchita pasta. Any small short pasta works.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro right before serving for a pop of color and flavor. Its best when fresh.
- Make a big batch. The leftovers keep well for lunches or quick meals later in the week.
- For a spicier version, garnish bowls with sliced jalapeños, diced onions or hot sauce.
- Stretch this recipe to feed a crowd by adding more broth and pasta shells. It scales up easily.
