Welcome to my โDelicious!โ Stuffed Shells recipe thatย are saucy (never dry), cheesy, meaty comfort food at its best!ย This recipe tackles the common pitfalls of stuffed shells with perfected seasonings, texture, proportions, and my secret for the creamiest, silkiest-smooth ricotta (never grainy!) With step-by-step instructions, expert tips (like how to stuff in minutes), and customizable options, you can trust this recipe will become a go-to family favorite!
There are a few baked Italian pasta dishes that everyone should have a superb recipe for โ namely Stuffed Shells โ check! And these other favorites: Lasagna, White Chicken Lasagna, Baked Ziti, Baked Penne, Manicotti, Tortellini Al Forno and Baked Macaroni and Cheese.
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How to make Stuffed Shells with Meat Video
Why you’ll love these Stuffed Shells with Meat and Ricotta
I’ve experimented with different cooking techniques, ingredients, ingredient ratios, etc., to bring you the ultimate tried-and-true recipe!ย Here’s why it’s the best:
Ingredients you’ll need for Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Meat
These immensely comforting Stuffed Pasta Shells are made with easy to find, everyday ingredients that combine into 5-star restaurant spectacular! Best of all, almost all the ingredients are pantry friendly or freezer friendly so you can make this recipe any time. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
How to make Stuffed Shells with Meat
Learn how to make Stuffed Shells with these step-by-step photos and/or you can watch the recipe video at the top of the post or in the notes of the recipe card. Youโre going to love how quickly this recipe comes together (full recipe measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
ย
What is the best way to stuff shells?
Making Stuffed Shells doesnโt have to be messy or time consuming. For hassle free stuffing: 1) use firm noodles (cook the shells just shy of al dente) and, 2) use a piping bag.
โข To easily make a piping bag: Place the meat ricotta filling in a large freezer bag and snip a corner large enough so the meat can pipe through (about 3/4-inch cut).
โข To easily fill the shells: Hold one shell with one hand and with your dominant hand, gather the top of the bag, place the tip into the top of the shell and squeeze the filling into the shell as you work your way down. The shells should be moderately full but not overflowing.
TIPS FOR THE BEST stuffed shells recipe
These expert tips and tricks will make your Meat Stuffed Shells recipe easier to make and more delicious!
Variations for Meat Stuffed Shells
The possibilities are endless when it comes to Stuffed Shells – stuff them with anything you’d like! The Italian sausage in this recipe equals about 3 cups, 1 ½ cups (half) of which is added to the filling. You can equally swap the sausage with a different protein and use it in the sauce and the filling, or swap the sausage for 1 ½ cup of anything added just to the filling. Here are a few ideas:
How to store Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Meat
Stuffed Pasta Shells should be covered tightly with foil or transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. When stores properly, they are good for 4-5 days.
HOW DO I REHEAT stuffed shells?
โข Microwave: Microwave individual portions for 90 seconds, then continue to heat at 30 second intervals until warmed through.
โข Oven: Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
CAN I make stuffed shells AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes! Stuffed Pasta Shells are the perfect make-ahead meal to either refrigerate and bake the next day or to assemble and freeze. I actually think the casserole tastes better prepped ahead because the flavors have more time to meld and intensify.
To make ahead, assemble the entire Stuffed Shells casserole a day in advance, cover and refrigerate (without baking). Add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.
CAN I FREEZE stuffed shells?
Yes! Freezing this Stuffed Shells recipe is a great way to enjoy a bake-and-eat dinner any night of the week without any prep! ย For best results, I recommend freezing unbaked Stuffed Shells; freezing baked shells should be reserved for leftovers and not meal prep. ย ย
HOW TO FREEZE stuffed shells:
1. Assemble the Stuffed Shells in a freezer safe dish but do not bake.
2. Wrap the dish tightly all around with 2 layers of plastic wrap followed by two layers of foil
3. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
4. Bake from frozen by removing the plastic wrap and re-covering with foil.ย Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15-30 more minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the shells are warmed through.ย Broil if desired for a minute or two.
HOW TO FREEZE INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS of stuffed shells
1. Bake and cool: Bake Stuffed Pasta Shells according to directions. Let cool completely before portioning individual servings into freezer safe plastic bags or separate airtight containers.
2. To reheat in oven:ย Transfer serving(s) to a baking sheet. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.
3. To reheat in microwave:ย Transfer serving to a microwave safe plate.ย Microwave on high for 3 minutes then continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
How to serve Stuffed Shells with Meat and Ricotta
This Stuffed Shell recipe is fabulous with warm, crusty bread to mop up the sauce or with a big green salad. If you want to get a little more ambitious, it is also delicious with any of the following:
FAQs
Stuffed shells are a cheesy baked pasta dish, similar to Italian Manicotti or Cannelloni. Stuffed shells are made with conchiglioni pasta, or jumbo pasta shells, the larger version of conchiglie, which means โconch shells.โย
These jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a three-cheese filling made of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The jumbo pasta shells are layered in between marinara, topped with more mozzarella cheese then baked.
The filling can include other ingredients as well such as Italian sausage, ground beef, frozen or sautรฉed fresh spinach or mushrooms.ย There are also non-traditional stuffed shell recipes including Taco Stuffed Shells, Mexican Stuffed Shells and Greek Stuffed Shells.
Both stuffed shells and manicotti are Italian stuffed pasta dishes made by par-boiling the shells, stuffing them with a ricotta-based filling (usually with mozzarella and Parmesan and sometimes spinach and meat), lining in a baking dish, covering with marinara and cheese, then baking. The difference between these two favorite stuffed pastas lies primarily in the pasta itself.
Stuffed shells: made withย conchiglioni pasta, the larger version ofย conchiglie, which means โconch shells.โย The jumbo shells open up like a shell and hold the stuffing equal to the size of an egg.ย The shells are easy to stuff by adding the filling with a spoon or a piping bag. ย
Manicotti:ย are large tubes of pasta, about 4 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Manicotti can be smooth or have wide, thick ridges. ย They hold more filling than stuffed shells which means a higher filling to shell ratio.ย The long tubular shape of manicotti also makes them more difficult to stuff. The easiest to way to stuff manicotti is to pipe the filling into one end, rotate the tube 180 degrees then pipe the filling into the opposite end.ย ย
I would assumeย 3-4 shells per person. Larger appetites might like up to 6, while smaller eaters may prefer 2, so you will need to take into account who you are serving.ย This recipe yields about 28 stuffed shells with a hearty meat sauce, so I would assume it serves 7-9 people.
Jumbo shells are sold in most grocery stores in the pasta aisle.
There are 35 jumbo shells in one 12-ounce box.ย This recipe uses 28 of those shells, but I recommend cooking the entire box because a few shells always break or tear while boiling.
Make sure you use plenty of water for boiling your shells.ย Once the shells are cooked just shy of al dente, drain the hot water then either rinse the pasta shells in cold water until cool or place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Al dente means firm to the bite. Most package instructions will give you timings for perfectly cooked al dente pasta so that the pasta is chewy and firm, holding its whole shape in whatever sauce you put it in. ย In stuffed shells, you want to cook the shells one minute shy of al dente otherwise they will be flimsy, hard to stuff and easily tear when handled.
Cook the jumbo shells for about 7 minutes.ย You want them just shy of al dente so they are easier to stuff without tearing. They will finish cooking in the oven covered in sauce.
Absolutely!ย ย This recipe will work great in a glass casserole dish. The standard advice for baking in glass is toย lower the oven temperature by 25ยฐF from what the recipe calls for, and bake up to 10 minutes longer. So, for this recipe, you would the stuffed shells at 325 degrees F and bake for 40 minutes.ย Also, broiling is not recommended with glass bakeware because it can shatter.
Ricotta is the is the main culprit behind watery stuffed shells.ย Ricotta has a lot of water which is released as it bakes.ย To prevent watery shells, make sure to strain the ricotta before using by placing over a cheesecloth, coffee filter or paper towels placed in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.ย Press down several times to release moisture, then let rest for at least 5 minutes. Adding an egg to the ricotta filling will also help prevent watery stuffed shells.
Eggs are used in the ricotta filling of stuffed shells in order to bind the ingredients together.ย As the shells bake, the egg sets, gluing the ingredients together, while still maintaining the creamy texture of the filling.
I do not recommend using ricotta cheese filling without eggs because the filling can become watery.ย If you need an eggless ricotta filling, make sure to drain the ricotta very well by placing in a cheesecloth in a fine mesh strainer and draining out any excess liquid.
Yes!ย The best substitute for ricotta is 3 parts drained cottage cheese mixed with 1-part sour cream.ย You may also use all drained, mashed cottage cheese.
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Stuffed Shells with Meat
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Ingredients
SAUSAGE AND SHELLS
- 1 12 oz. box jumbo pasta shells
- 2 24 oz. jars quality marinara Raoโs brand recommended
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella for topping
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
FILLING
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, strained
- 1/2 cup sour cream, full fat please
- 2 ยฝ cups freshly shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 ½ tsp dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 ½ tsp dried
- ยฝ tsp EACH dried oregano, garlic powder, pepper
- 1/4 tsp EACH nutmeg, salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brown sausage and onion over medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Pat off excess grease if youโd like.
- Remove 1 ½ cups sausage/onions and add it to a 9×13 baking dish along with half of the marinara sauce. Stir to combine then spread into an even layer.
- Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add all remaining Filling ingredients and stir until creamy. Add remaining sausage and stir until evenly combined.
- Fill each shell with the filling and line on top of the sauce in the baking dish. The easiest way to do this is add the filling to a freezer size bag, snip the corner (about 3/4-inch cut) and pipe the filling into each shell. Arrange the shells as tightly as possible. I was able to fit about 28 shells, 7 rows of 4.
- Pour remaining marinara sauce over shells, making sure they are covered so they donโt dry out. Top the marinara with 1 ยฝ cups mozzarella and ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Broil if desired for a minute or two. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Shells:ย You will need one 12-ounce package of JUMBO pasta shells which comes with about 33-35 shells.ย You will only stuff 28 of those shells (all that fit in a 9×13 dish), however, I still recommend cooking the entire box because some shells always break while cooking.ย If your grocery store doesnโt carry them, you can order them on Amazon HERE.
- Best Marinara:ย You are welcome to use store-bought marinara or homemade (my recipe is fabulous, you’ll need to double it). For store-bought, I highly recommend the brand Raoโs. ย It is by far the best store-bought marinara Iโve come across.ย They are increasingly easier to find, so if your grocery store doesnโt carry them, check Costco, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or Amazon.
- Strain the ricotta.ย Ricotta can be very wet, which in turn can make your stuffed shells watery.ย To strain, place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Line the strainer withย cheesecloth, coffee filter or paper towels.ย Add the ricotta to the cheese cloth and firmly press out excess moisture. Set aside to continue to drain while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
- Variations:ย The possibilities are endless when it comes to Stuffed Shells – stuff them with anything you’d like!ย The Italian sausage in this recipe equals about 3 cups, 1 ½ of which is added to the filling.ย You can equally swap the sausage with a different protein (plus Italian seasonings and ½ teaspoon fennel) and use it in the sauce and the filling, or swap the sausage for 1 ยฝ cups of anything you’d like added just to the filling such as spinach, cottage cheese, additional ricotta, chicken, etc.ย See post for a list of detailed variations.
How to Make Ahead, Store and Reheat
- Make ahead: ย Assemble the entire casserole a day in advance (without baking), cover and refrigerate.ย Add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time when ready to cook. ย
- To store: Tightly cover with foil or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To freeze: Assemble the entire casserole but do not bake.ย Wrap the dish tightly all around with 2 layers of plastic wrap followed by two layers of foil.ย Label and freeze for up to 3 months.ย Bake from frozen by removing the plastic wrap and re-covering with foil.ย Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15-30 more minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the shells are warmed through.ย Broil if desired for a minute or two.
- To reheat in the microwave:ย ย Microwave individual portions for 90 seconds, then continue to heat at 30 second intervals until warmed through.
- To reheat in the oven:ย Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
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Constance Farmer says
Delicious! Even the son that doesn’t like pasta said it was ok. I refrigerated overnight to have after church on Sunday. Took an hour and a half to get bubbly. Worth the wait.
Jen says
I’m so pleased it was a hit with everyone, thanks so much Constance!
Brenda says
Pasta Sunday, always from this site. I made the sauce from the site (itโs my go to sauce recipe) and it was absolutely delicious. Just a little hint if someone doesnโt want to use the food processor, get an immersion blender, I love mine so much , use it all the time for soups and sauces , just be careful and start it slowly off the heat. Quick and easy .
Jen says
Yay for pasta Sunday! Thank you for such a great compliment of using my sauce recipes on a weekly basis. Great tip on using the immersion blender! Hope you have a wonderful week Brenda!