Description

These Cheesy Stuffed Shells are a classic Italian-American comfort food! Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy ricotta cheese mixture and baked in a rich meat sauce with melted mozzarella. It’s a simple yet satisfying dish that’s perfect for a family meal or a casual gathering.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 (12 oz) box jumbo pasta shells
1 lb ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
20 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Dried parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

Cook Pasta: Cook jumbo shells according to package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and let cool slightly.
Make Meat Sauce: In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef with chopped onion. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Drain excess grease. Stir in minced garlic and marinara sauce. Simmer on low heat.
Make Filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley. Mix well.
Stuff Shells: Fill each cooked shell with the ricotta mixture (about 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons per shell).
Assemble and Bake: Arrange filled shells in a greased 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9×13 inch baking dish with the meat sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve: Garnish with dried parsley and serve hot.

Notes

If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the meat sauce and stuffed shells to a 9×13 inch baking dish before baking.
You can adjust the amount of ricotta filling to your preference.
If you want to use all the shells in the box, you can double the ricotta filling recipe and use an additional baking dish.
For a less crispy top, cover the dish with aluminum foil during baking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 10-11 stuffed shells
Calories: 800
Sugar: 10g
Sodium: 1800mg
Fat: 40g
Saturated Fat: 20g
Unsaturated Fat: 15g
Trans Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 80g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 50g
Cholesterol: 180mg