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Golden bubbly stuffed shells with melted mozzarella and marinara sauce in baking dish on kitchen counter Homemade baked pasta shells filled with ricotta and meat topped with cheese perfect for Italian dinner

Stuffed Pasta Shells with Ricotta and Meat

Tender pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, meat, and cheese then baked in marinara sauce until golden and bubbly. This easy stuffed shells recipe creates restaurant-quality Italian comfort food perfect for family dinners and meal prep.
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 485kcal
Cost: $12-15

Equipment

  • Large pot (For cooking pasta)
  • 9x13-inch baking dish (Greased)
  • Large skillet (For browning meat)
  • Large mixing bowl (For filling mixture)
  • Large spoon (For filling shells)
  • Colander (For draining pasta)
  • Aluminum foil (For covering)

Ingredients

Stuffed Shells

  • 20 pieces Jumbo pasta shells - Cook a few extra
  • 1 lb Ground beef - 85/15 lean
  • 15 oz Ricotta cheese - Whole milk
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - Shredded, divided
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
  • 2 large Eggs
  • ¼ cup Fresh parsley - Chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 24 oz Marinara sauce - Good quality
  • 1 medium Yellow onion - Diced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - To taste
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon Fresh basil - For garnish

Instructions 

  • Boil pasta shells until al dente, drain and cool
  • Cook ground beef with onions and garlic until done
  • Combine ricotta, half mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, and parsley
  • Fold cooled meat mixture into cheese filling
  • Fill shells and arrange in sauce-lined baking dish
  • Cover and bake 25 minutes, uncover and bake 15 more
  • Let cool 10 minutes before serving with basil garnish

Notes

Feel free to substitute ground beef with Italian sausage, ground turkey, or spinach for a vegetarian option. You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 3shells | Calories: 485kcal (24%) | Carbohydrates: 35g (12%) | Protein: 32g (64%) | Fat: 24g (37%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 125mg (42%) | Sodium: 985mg (43%) | Potassium: 565mg (16%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 8g (9%) | Vitamin A: 1250IU (25%) | Vitamin C: 12mg (15%) | Calcium: 385mg (39%) | Iron: 3.8mg (21%)