Description
A delicious and easy recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Shells filled with a savory meat sauce and creamy cheese filling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or Italian sausage, or mix)
- 1 jar (24 oz / 680 g) marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 container (15 oz / 425 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
- Pinch of salt & pepper
- 20–24 jumbo pasta shells (cooked al dente)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan (for topping)
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic, sauté until fragrant.
- Stir in ground beef, cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add marinara sauce, tomato paste, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Cook jumbo shells in salted boiling water until al dente (slightly firm). Drain and cool.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
- Stuff each shell with 1–2 tablespoons of cheese mixture. Place in dish seam side up.
- Spoon meat sauce over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil, bake another 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot with garlic bread or a side salad.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute ground beef with Italian sausage for a different flavor.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the meat sauce and add more vegetables to the cheese filling.
- These stuffed shells can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg