Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells

Name: Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 17 min
Yield: 6 serving
Ingredients: 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells; 1 pound Italian sausage; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 small onion; 5 ounces fresh baby spinach; 1 cup ricotta cheese; ½ cup Parmesan Cheese; 16 ounces mozzarella cheese; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley; ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 can crushed tomatoes; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

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Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Bake Time
32 mins
Total Time
1 hr 17 mins
Servings
6
Calories
853 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells

Iris Warren

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Italian sausage-stuffed shells are the ultimate comfort food! Jumbo pasta shells filled with savory sausage, spinach, and a three-cheese blend, all smothered in homemade tomato sauce.

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Ingredients

Servings

12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
1 pound Italian sausage
1 tablespoon minced garlic plus one teaspoon, divided
1 small onion finely chopped
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning plus one teaspoon, divided
1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley divided
⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

In a large pot, boil the salted water and cook the pasta shells al dente according to the package instructions. My box said 9-10 minutes for al dente. When done, strain the shells and set aside to cool.
In your skillet, fry the sausage over medium heat until it is cooked through.
Add one tablespoon of minced garlic and the onion, and fry for another 3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the fresh spinach and fry for another minute, stirring continuously. The spinach will wilt and break down almost immediately.
Remove from heat, use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage mixture, and put it in a large mixing bowl. Leave the grease in the pan. Let the sausage mixture cool for 5-10 minutes in the bowl. If you want to speed the cooling process up, stir the mixture every minute or so.
While the sausage is cooling, we'll make the tomato sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, one teaspoon minced garlic, one teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon parsley, granulated sugar, salt, and black pepper. Set aside for a moment.
Grab the bowl with the cooled sausage mixture. Add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, one tablespoon of Italian seasoning, one teaspoon of dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sausage mixture and stir until combined.
Now, we'll start the assembly. First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour half of the tomato sauce into the greased skillet.
Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the sausage ricotta mixture into each cooked shell.
Place the shells in the pan, ricotta side up. Make sure that the shells are tight together in the pan.
Pour the last of the sauce over and around the shells.
Scatter the reserved mozzarella over the shells. Place a piece of tin foil over the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly, about another 7-10 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then, sprinkle dried parsley over the top and serve warm.

Notes

Cook your shells just until al dente. They'll continue cooking in the oven, and overcooked shells tend to tear when you stuff them. I usually cook a few extra shells in case some tear.
Letting the sausage mixture cool properly is crucial. To speed things up, I like to spread it out in the bowl and give it a stir every minute or so.
When meal prepping for busy weeknights, I often make a double batch and freeze one for later.
Use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce instead of making your own to make this recipe a little easier.
If you do not have a large enough skillet, you can use a 9x13-inch baking dish. Grease the baking dish with the sausage grease from the pan. The bake times will be the same.
Ground beef will work the same as Italian sausage, but it will not have the same flavor and will be a little blander.
Assemble the shells into a disposable aluminum pan rather than a skillet. Once you have sprinkled the cheese over the top, wrap the top of the pan in aluminum foil, then wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you are ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and thaw in the fridge. Leave the foil on and bake as usual.
Cook your shells just until al dente. They'll continue cooking in the oven, and overcooked shells tend to tear when you stuff them. I usually cook a few extra shells in case some tear.
Letting the sausage mixture cool properly is crucial. To speed things up, I like to spread it out in the bowl and give it a stir every minute or so.
When meal prepping for busy weeknights, I often make a double batch and freeze one for later.
This is a great dish to have on hand in your freezer to take as a meal to a friend or neighbor who needs one.
Use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce instead of making your own to make this recipe a little easier.
If you do not have a large enough skillet, you can use a 9x13-inch baking dish. Grease the baking dish with the sausage grease from the pan. The bake times will be the same.
Ground beef will work the same as Italian sausage, but it will not have the same flavor and will be a little blander.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 853kcal (43%) Carbohydrates 57g (19%) Protein 45g (90%) Fat 49g (75%) Saturated Fat 23g (115%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 18g Cholesterol 144mg (48%) Sodium 1719mg (72%) Potassium 834mg (24%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 3212IU (64%) Vitamin C 17mg (19%) Calcium 661mg (66%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 853 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	853kcal	43%
Carbohydrates	57g	19%
Protein	45g	90%
Fat	49g	75%
Saturated Fat	23g	115%
Polyunsaturated Fat	4g	24%
Monounsaturated Fat	18g	90%
Cholesterol	144mg	48%
Sodium	1719mg	72%
Potassium	834mg	18%
Fiber	5g	20%
Sugar	9g	18%
Vitamin A	3212IU	64%
Vitamin C	17mg	19%
Calcium	661mg	66%
Iron	4mg	22%