The Best Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

The Best Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

from theseasonedmom.com
70 min
8 servings

The best stuffed pasta shells are full of ground beef, three different types of cheese, and a secret ingredient that adds tons of flavor!

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) box Jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 lb. ground beef ((you can substitute with ground turkey, ground Italian sausage, or ground chicken))
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese, divided ((you can substitute with shredded mozzarella cheese))
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup pesto
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. 2

    Cook pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off fat; let cool slightly before adding to the filling.

  4. 4

    Combine 1 ½ cups of the shredded Italian blend cheese, all of the ricotta cheese, all of the Parmesan cheese, the egg, the pesto, and half of the beef and onion mixture in a large bowl. Set aside.

  5. 5

    Spread ¾ cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a bowl, stir together the remaining marinara sauce and the remaining half of the beef and onion mixture. Set aside.

  6. 6

    Fill the cooked, cooled pasta shells with the ricotta mixture. Arrange the shells in the baking dish.

  7. 7

    Top the shells with the marinara sauce mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Italian cheese blend over top.

  8. 8

    Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil, if desired. Serve!