Description
Jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory beef mixture, nestled in rich tomato sauce, and topped with golden cheese for a comforting dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (plus extra for topping)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 20–24 jumbo pasta shells (about 12 oz)
- 3 cups marinara sauce (or your favorite tomato pasta sauce)
- ½ cup water or broth (optional, to loosen sauce if thick)
- Chopped parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil jumbo shells in salted water until just al dente (1–2 minutes less than package). Drain and rinse gently with cool water to stop cooking.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef with onion until browned (6–8 minutes). Drain excess fat. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant. Let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, and parmesan (if using). Stir in the cooked beef mixture until well mixed.
- Spread 1½ cups marinara in the bottom of a baking dish. Stuff each shell with the filling and arrange in the dish. Spoon remaining marinara over the shells.
- Sprinkle with extra mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
Assemble the dish fully, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Best when baked straight from the fridge, just add extra covered time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: stuffed shells, beef pasta, comfort food, baked pasta, family dinner, easy recipe