These stuffed shells make for such a hearty and filling dinner that your whole family will ask for it repeatedly. Perfectly cooked pasta shells stuffed with a smooth, creamy, cheesy filling made with three different kinds of cheese, this meal is excellent for feeding a hungry crowd.
These stuffed pasta shells are beyond easy to make and are a great dish to make ahead of time. It’s a satisfying meal that doesn’t require any fancy ingredients. If you want another meal that both adults and kids will enjoy, like these cheese-filled shells, try my chicken pesto pasta recipe, cacio e pepe recipe, or baked ziti recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Pasta shells — make sure you purchase the jumbo pasta shells to stuff and not the small ones.
Marinara sauce — use your favorite marinara sauce, I like to use Rao’s, or you can make my spaghetti sauce recipe if you have time to make your own.
Cheeses — I use ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. I highly recommend using full-fat cheeses for the best flavor.
Egg — don’t skip the egg as it helps the filling bind together and provides structure. Without the egg, the filling may ooze out of the shells.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Generously season with salt and add the pasta shells. Return to a boil. Boil uncovered until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
2. Grate the cheese and prepare your ingredients.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg. Stir until well blended.
4. Spread 2 cups of marinara in the bottom of the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
5. Fill the shells with the ricotta mixture.
6. Place the stuffed shells on top of the marinara in the baking dish.
7. Spoon the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the shells.
8. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Loosely cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until it begins to brown. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you do not have ricotta cheese, you can substitute it with whipped cottage cheese. If using regular cottage cheese, strain off the excess liquid to avoid a watery filling.
- Careful not to overcook the pasta shells as they will continue to cook when they go into the oven.
- I recommend boiling the entire box of pasta shells; even though we only need 24 shells, some may break as they cook, so boiling extra ensures you have 24 shells intact.
- If you have difficulties scooping the filling into the pasta shells, you can pipe the filling with a piping bag instead.
- If you want to use another cheese or add more cheese, you can try using provolone, fontina, asiago, or romano cheese.
- If you want to add some meat to the stuffed shells, try adding cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or ground turkey.
- Sauteed spinach makes for a great addition to the cheese mixture.
- Do not skip salting the water. Doing so helps season the pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prepare this recipe ahead of time?
You can assemble these stuffed shells in the baking dish for up to 8 hours before you plan to bake it. Cover the baking dish with foil and transfer it to the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Bring the baking dish to room temperature before baking.
Can I freeze this recipe?
You can freeze leftovers or the entire baking dish. If you plan on freezing the whole dish, I suggest using an aluminum baking dish to avoid thermal shock when reheating. Once the pasta has cooled to room temperature, transfer the stuffed shells to an airtight container or wrap the entire pan and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow the pasta to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in the microwave or oven.
Alternatively, you can assemble the shells in an aluminum baking dish, then cover tightly with plastic and foil before freezing. When you’re ready to eat, bake the shells from frozen with extra time added.
How long do leftovers keep?
Store leftover stuffed pasta shells covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed throughout when ready to eat.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Stuffed Shells recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Stuffed Shells
Equipment
- Casserole dish
- Large Pot
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 container whole milk ricotta cheese (425g/15-ounce)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided (340g)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided (90g)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley divided
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups marinara sauce divided (720ml)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Generously season with salt and add the pasta shells. Return to a boil. Boil, uncovered until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg. Stir until well blended.
- Spread 2 cups of marinara in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill the shells with the ricotta mixture and place on top of the marinara in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Loosely cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the begins to brown. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley before serving.
Notes
- If you do not have ricotta cheese, you can substitute it with whipped cottage cheese. If using regular cottage cheese, strain off the excess liquid to avoid a watery filling.
- Careful not to overcook the pasta shells as they will continue to cook when they go into the oven.
- I recommend boiling the entire box of pasta shells; even though we only need 24 shells, some may break as they cook, so boiling extra ensures you have 24 shells intact.
- If you have difficulties scooping the filling into the pasta shells, you can pipe the filling with a piping bag instead.
- If you want to use another cheese or add more cheese, you can try using provolone, fontina, asiago, or romano cheese.
- If you want to add some meat to the stuffed shells, try adding cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or ground turkey.
- Sauteed spinach makes for a great addition to the cheese mixture.
- Do not skip salting the water. Doing so helps season the pasta.
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