Easy, Cheesy Stuffed Shells
Loaded with the classic Italian flavor, stuffed shells is the BEST cheesy, carby comfort meal. If you’ve never made a stuffed shells recipe, don’t fret! Stuffed shells are so easy to make — definitely easier than Lasagna — and they’re so classic and comforting. From hectic winter weeknights to last minute dinner parties, they’re sure to please every hungry crowd. Who doesn’t love stuffed shells? Just like our cozy Baked Ziti, Baked Tortellini, Baked Rigatoni or classic Italian Manicotti, there’s something about that classic combination of pasta stuffed with cheese and baked in tomato sauce that is truly comforting.
Stuffed Shells Ingredients
Jumbo pasta shells: You should be able to find these large pasta shells where you buy other dried pasta shapes like spaghetti and rigatoni.
Tomato sauce: Jarred tomato sauce is fine (use any brand you love) but Homemade Marinara will always be the best!
3 cheeses: For the creamy stuffed shell filling, you’ll use ricotta cheese, mozzarella and parmesan cheese! Mozzarella is king for that stringy, satisfying gooey cheese pull, while milky ricotta which adds another layer of tender, pillowyness to stuffed shells.
Spinach: Use regular or baby spinach, for a little color and a nod to health.
Fresh basil: Italian-American dishes like this just aren’t done until they’ve got some fresh basil in the mix. A little bit adds so much flavor to the finished shells — don’t skip it!
Meat filling: Feel free to leave out the meat if you want to make vegetarian stuffed shells, but we like our stuffed shells with meat! We usually use ground chicken, but you could also substitute Italian sausage. If you use Italian sausage, you can skip adding the fennel seeds and Italian seasoning blend.
How To Make Stuffed Shells
Cook the shells: Take care not to overcook them, since they’ll also have a 25-minute bake in the oven.
Prep the filling: If you’re using ground chicken or italian sausage, you’ll brown it first. Then combine the rest of the filling ingredient into a creamy, uniform mixture.
Fill the shells!
Prep the baking dish: A little tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan, then arrange the filled shells nicely in the dish. Top with more tomato sauce and more cheese! If you’re going to refrigerate or freeze the stuffed shells, now is your moment!
Bake! Just until the pan is all warm and the cheese is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
How To Store + Tips For The Best Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are a great make-ahead dinner! If you are hosting a dinner party and want to feel really relaxed day-of, you could prep the ricotta filling a day ahead of time, Chill it, and pipe it into the cooked shells when you’re ready to bake them. You could also fully prep the recipe, and stop before you’d pop the stuffed shells into the oven. Instead of baking them, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it (up to 2 days).
Stuffed shells freeze well! After you’ve got everything arranged in the baking dish (but before you’ve baked the stuffed shells) wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, let it defrost while the oven heats up, and bake it until it's warm and bubbly.
Salt your pasta water generously. Always! You want the water you cook your pasta shells in to be as salty as the sea.
Don’t overcook the shells: Cook your jumbo pasta shells for a little less time than the package suggests. You want them to be slightly undercooked, because they will continue to soften as they bake under all that cheesy goodness.
An Easy Way to Fill Stuffed Shells
Use a large ziplock bag with one corner snipped off (or a pastry bag, if you have one!) to pipe the creamy ricotta filling into the shells. This will help make sure the pasta shells keep their shape, and it will save you time and keep your kitchen clean. You don’t have to measure it exactly, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for about two tablespoons of filling per pasta shell.
What To Serve With Stuffed Shells
One of the many reasons we love stuffed shells is that they’re almost a complete meal all on their own! Think about it — you’ve got all the food groups! Dairy, carbs, even a little veggie representation (thanks, spinach). But some more veggies on the side are never a bad idea. We love to serve stuffed shells with big, simple salads like:
Even More ‘Stuffed’ Dinner Ideas
And More Comforting Pasta Recipes, This Way
For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!
