Description
Stuffed shells are the comfort food cousin of lasagna — jumbo pasta shells filled with a herbed ricotta mixture, tucked into marinara, and baked under a blanket of melted mozzarella. Each shell is a self-contained bite of creamy, cheesy, saucy perfection. They are absurdly easy to assemble and always a hit.
Ingredients
Units
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (for topping)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook the shells in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than package directions — they need to be pliable but still firm enough to handle. Drain and lay flat on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil.
- Mix the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups marinara in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling into each shell. Arrange them seam-side up in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining marinara over the shells. Top with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes until bubbly and the cheese is golden. Let rest 5 minutes.
Notes
- Undercook the shells — they finish in the oven. Fully cooked shells tear when you try to stuff them.
- Drizzle olive oil on the drained shells immediately to prevent them from sticking together while you work.
- These freeze beautifully. Assemble, cover tightly, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Add 15 minutes to the covered bake time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
- Cholesterol: 65