Frozen Meatball Stuffed Shells
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Unrated
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Bake Time:
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
2 large portions
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Calories
825 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Frozen Meatball Stuffed Shells
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In this recipe, pasta shells are stuffed with frozen meatballs for a delicious dinner that's easy and convenient to make. NOTE: You can make the sauce recipe provided here or use any tomato pasta sauce of your choice!
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Ingredients
For the shells:
- 12 pasta shells jumbo, uncooked
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup onion yellow or white, finely diced
- 2 garlic large cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes canned, about 18 ounces
- ½ cup basil fresh leaves, finely chopped, packed
- 3 tablespoons capers drained, roughly chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more if desired
To put it together:
- 12 meatballs fully cooked, Italian-style, frozen, ½-ounce each
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese 4 ounces), divided, shredded, or a blend of Italian cheeses
- garlic bread optional
- green salad optional
Instructions
For the shells:
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Fully cook the pasta shells according to package instructions.** Drain, briefly rinse under cold water, then set aside.
For the sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan.
- Add the onions and saute until starting to soften (2 to 3 minutes).
- Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the remaining ingredients, cover loosely and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste the sauce and add more crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
To put it together:
- Lightly brush a 9-inch diameter, round deep dish pie pan with olive oil.
- Spread half of the sauce into the bottom of the pie pan.
- Stuff 1 frozen meatball into each shell and set, open side up, onto the sauce.***
- Evenly divide ½ cup of cheese on top of the shells.
- Spoon the remaining sauce on top.
- Cover the pie pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over top and continue to bake uncovered until the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
- Serve by itself or with garlic bread and green salad.
Notes
- *You can use any combination of fontina, mozzarella, parmesan, romano, provolone and asiago.
- **Use a large, wide pot (I use a 12-inch diameter, 4-inch deep pot). That way the shells have plenty of room and not much chance to get entangled and stick together.
- ***Make sure the shells are dry on the inside. If there is a puddle of water in any of them, pour it out before stuffing.
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