This is The Best Baked Stuffed Shells recipe you will ever come across. Ground meat, ricotta cheese, mushrooms baked in tomato sauce and covered in cheese! Dinner doesn't get better than that!
Feel free to use any combination of ground meat when making this recipe. Our favorite combinations are turkey and pork or pork and beef but you can use whichever ground meats you prefer.
You don't even have to combine ground meats for that matter. Sometimes I just use plain old ground beef and so can you! All will taste great no matter which meat you have on hand or is your favorite! No one will complain!
This recipe needs to be on your bucket list if you are a fan a pasta and is definitely worth the effort! Once you stuff one or two shells you get the hang of filling them right away. It is much easier than it looks!
Usually I serve The Best Baked Stuffed Shells with more sauce than shown in the pictures because I love sauce. You will have to decide how much sauce is just right for you!
I used to serve The Best Baked Stuffed Shells with garlic bread or garlic bread with cheese. I used to love dipping the bread in the sauce which is delicious by the way! Now that I am getting older I am eating less bread and usually just serve these shells with salad!
For this recipe you can use two 8x8 pans or just one 9x13. The shells tend to all fit better in the two 8x8 pans but more often than not I use the 9x13 pan. Just because it is easier I think.
Also, when I am making them for my family I make all of the shells fit in the 9x13 pan and don't care as much how the shells look when I serve them. Neither do they.
You also have the option of using more or less cheese on top and any kind of cheese as well while you bake this wonderful dish. I use whatever I have on hand but usually that means we use mozzarella or a mozzarella cheddar blend. Both are so tasty!
How long can you keep stuffed shells in the refrigerator?
The best part of this meal is that it can totally be prepared ahead of time, up until the point you bake it!
Cover your pan tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil to keep it as fresh as possible.
You can leave it in your fridge until 30 minutes before you need to get dinner ready.
Then, I ask that you leave this dish on the counter for 30 minutes before placing it in your oven to warm for serving.
You can refrigerate these shells for up to 2 days.
Then you can place it in your oven and cook it as usual.
Can you freeze stuffed shells?
Yes you can! Fill each shell with the stuffing and leave all of them on a pan or two that will fit in your freezer. Try your best to make the shells not touch each other before they are frozen. I also cover them with plastic wrap while they are freezing and it usually takes about an hour.
Once the shells are frozen you can transfer them into a resealable plastic bag for freezing. At this point you can also decide what portion sizes you want to freeze.
Stuffed shells can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to bake
I recommend thawing the stuffed shells in your refrigerator overnight and then leaving your defrosted shells on your counter, to get as close to room temperature as possible, about 30 minutes before baking.
Then, transfer your room temperature shells into a baking dish with sauce all over the bottom of it.
Next, cover shells with remaining sauce, and shredded cheese.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake your shells for 25 minutes. Check to make sure they are hot all the way through. Add additional time if necessary.
What To Serve With Stuffed Shells?
Hmm....are you looking for ideas of what to serve with stuffed shells? What side will raise this meal from good to great? What will make others sing your praises...telling others just how amazing your cooking is? Well, look no further. Ken and I have created this of oh so delicious sides that you can use to impress others with how much of a kitchen genius you are!
How do you make Stuffed Shells?
Stuffed shells are pretty easy to make, especially after you finish stuffing the first couple! Be patient! You will get the hang of it!
The most important thing you must do is under cook your pasta shells. Make sure they are a little less than al dente.
If you over cook the shells they will simply fall apart when you try to fill them. Always remember that they will be baked afterwards and will finish cooking in the oven!
Also, make sure you boil a few extra jumbo shells! Some will be broken in the box and some shells will break while boiling.
How Many Stuffed Shells per person?
Stuffed shells are always a perfect to feed a crowd and work great at an event or party! Easy to control portion size your dish can feed small and big eaters alike!
I have found that small eaters will consume 2 stuffed shells and big eaters 4. This dish serves between 6 and 8 people in my experience.
What’s the easiest way to stuff pasta shells?
Add all of your filling or stuffing into a plastic resealable bag and cut off the bottom corner or use the piping bag. This will make stuffing the shells so much easier and leave you with less mess!
A soup spoon will also work if you need it to. Be gentle and patient. I usually end up using two spoons to scoop the one scoop off the one spoon on to the other. Does that make sense? I have also used a spoon and my finger. Do what works for you!
If you end up with any extras you can throw them into a pan, cover them in sauce and bake the next day or freeze for another time or just bake them too!
Ingredients in The Best Baked Stuffed Shells
- jumbo pasta shells
- pasta sauce
- ground beef, pork, veal, sausage, chicken or turkey
- onion
- mushroom
- garlic
- frozen spinach
- ricotta cheese
- parmesan cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- eggs
- Italian seasoning
- cooking spray
- salt
- pepper
- oil
How to make The Best Baked Stuffed Shells
Thaw and squeeze dry the spinach in paper towel. Try to get as much water out as possible. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon or so of salt and roughly a tablespoon of olive oil.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Stir regularly to prevent shells from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. We usually just leave them in the sink.
Lightly spray 2 8x8 pans, a 9x13 inch pan or the equivalent with cooking spray.
Coat the bottom of each pan with tomato sauce, either store bought or my homemade marinara sauce. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until tender, around 5 minutes.
Add the ground meat or meats and cook, stirring regularly, until done.
Next, add the squeezed spinach and continue stirring for a few more minutes.
Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.
In a separate, large bowl, whip together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Next add the meat mixture, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and Italian seasoning to the ricotta mixture.
Stir to combine thoroughly.
Spoon about 2 ½ tablespoons of the filling into each cooked pasta shell.
Place the filled shells in the prepared dish or dishes with the opening facing up.
Don't use the broken pasta shells unless you have to.
You will likely have some extras.
Each shell should be over flowing and touching each other.
Pour more marinara sauce over the filled shells and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
Then turn the oven up to broil for a few minutes until cheese is nicely browned if desired.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
More Delicious Pasta Dishes to Try
Our Favorite Loaded Pasta Carbonara
Chicken Pasta in Sherry Cream Sauce
Million Dollar Pasta Casserole
Meat Lovers Pizza Pasta Casserole
Creamy Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff
Simple Skillet Chicken Stroganoff
Cheesy Pizza Spaghetti Casserole
The Best Baked Stuffed Shells Video
The Best Baked Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 1 large box pasta shells, jumbo
- 2 large jars pasta sauce, tomato based - or my homemade marinara
- 1 pound any combination of ground beef, pork, veal, sausage or turkey
- 1 ½ cups onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups mushrooms,fresh, finely chopped
- 2 tblsp garlic, minced
- 1 pkg. chopped frozen spinach
- 1 tub ricotta cheese, 16 oz.
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded to taste
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 1 heaping tblsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- olive oil
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Thaw and squeeze dry the spinach in paper towel. Try to get as much water out as possible. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon or so of salt and roughly a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir regularly to prevent shells from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. We usually just leave them in the sink.
- Lightly spray 2 8x8 pans, a 9x13 inch pan or the equivalent with cooking spray.
- Coat the bottom of each pan with tomato sauce, either store bought or my homemade marinara sauce. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until tender, around 5 minutes. Add the ground meat or meats and cook, stirring regularly, until done. Add the squeezed spinach and continue stirring for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- In a separate, large bowl, whip together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Next add the meat mixture, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and Italian seasoning to the ricotta mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Spoon about 2 ½ tablespoons of the filling into each cooked pasta shell. Place the filled shells in the prepared dish or dishes with the opening facing up. Don't use the broken pasta shells unless you have to. You will likely have some extras. Each shell should be over flowing and touching each other.
- Pour more marinara sauce over the filled shells and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Then turn the oven up to broil for a few minutes until cheese is nicely browned if desired. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Ivy says
This came out amazing!!!! We loved it so much! Definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
Karin and Ken says
As always you are most welcome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe it’s a personal favorite. You made my day. All the best. Karin
Tailor says
What an amazing recipe. You can literally stuff the shells with whatever you want. They are so filling that all you need is simple side salad! Yummy 😋
Karin and Ken says
I love this recipe too! So happy to hear. Thank you for taking the time to let me know you made my day. All the best. Karin