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best stuffed shells recipe with meat
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: General
Description
This comforting stuffed shells recipe features jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory blend of lean ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, all baked in a rich tomato and cream sauce. It’s a satisfying and family-friendly meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 300g jumbo pasta shells
- 450g lean ground beef
- 30ml olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion (150g), finely diced, divided
- 4 cloves garlic (20g), minced, divided
- 30g tomato paste
- 400g canned crushed tomatoes
- 5ml dried oregano, divided
- 5ml dried basil, divided
- 7.5ml fine sea salt, divided
- 2.5ml black pepper, divided
- 425g ricotta cheese
- 225g shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 60g grated Parmesan-style cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 120ml vegetable broth
- 240ml heavy cream
- 60g oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
- 2.5ml red pepper flakes
- 15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prep Pasta: Bring salted water to a boil. Cook jumbo shells al dente (8-10 minutes) per package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook Meat Base: Heat 15ml (1 Tbsp) olive oil in a large skillet. Brown ground beef for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up. Drain fat. Add half of the diced onion and minced garlic; cook until softened (3-4 minutes).
- Simmer Meat Sauce: Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp dried basil, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
- Combine Filling: In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 170g (6 oz) mozzarella cheese, 30g (0.25 cup) Parmesan cheese, egg, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir the cooled meat sauce evenly into the cheese mixture. (If the mixture is loose, add 1 Tbsp breadcrumbs.)
- Prepare Cream Sauce: In the same skillet, heat the remaining 15ml (1 Tbsp) olive oil. Cook the remaining onion and garlic until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, vegetable broth, heavy cream, remaining dried oregano, remaining dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken until it coats a spoon.
- Assemble Shells: Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F). Spread 120ml (0.5 cup) cream sauce in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Generously fill each pasta shell with the meat and cheese filling. Arrange the filled shells in a single layer in the baking dish. (Chilling the filling for 15 minutes can make stuffing easier.)
- Layer and Bake: Pour the remaining cream sauce over the assembled shells. Sprinkle the remaining 55g (2 oz) mozzarella cheese and 30g (0.25 cup) Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden. For crispiness, broil for the last 2-3 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and sauce to set.
Notes
To save time, use pre-cooked ground meat or a quality jarred marinara sauce. The meat and cheese filling can be prepped a day ahead and stored in the fridge. For a spicy kick, add extra red pepper flakes. For a lighter option, use lean ground turkey or chicken and add spinach or mushrooms.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 shells
- Calories: 600 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg