Stuffed Shells with Meat
Stuffed shells with meat is my go-to recipe when I want a dinner that's hearty, kid-approved, and that yields plenty of leftovers. (And they're just as delicious the second time around!)
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells pasta (about ½ of a 12 oz. box)
- 1 pound lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small (about ¾ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti or marinara sauce
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- fresh parsley for garnishing, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta shells to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool them enough to handle. Place shells on a paper-towel (or lint-free kitchen towel) lined baking sheet to dry.20 jumbo pasta shells pasta
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground meat and diced onion. Cook until meat is cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it up as you go.1 pound lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground Italian sausage, 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- Add garlic and Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant. Add spaghetti sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat.2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti or marinara sauce
- For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup parmesan, parsley, egg, and pepper until combined.15 ounces ricotta cheese, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 large egg, beaten, ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- Fill the shells evenly with the cheese mixture (use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off to make this process easier!).
- Spray a 9 × 13 inch baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread about one third of the sauce in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the stuffed shells on the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the shells. Top with 1 cup mozzarella and ⅓ cup parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully uncover and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until browned, heated through, and bubbling. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cooking tip: You may wish to boil 1 to 2 extra jumbo pasta shells in case one tears. Our 12 ounce box had 42 shells which allows you to make this recipe twice, each with an extra pasta shell, just in case.
- Recipe retested and updated February 2024.
- Nutrition information is calculated using lean ground beef and full fat ricotta cheese.
Nutrition
Serving: 5stuffed shells | Calories: 874kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 236mg | Sodium: 1746mg | Potassium: 1229mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2177IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 875mg | Iron: 6mg
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