Stuffed Shells Recipe with Meat Sauce
User Reviews
4.9
Stuffed Shells Recipe with Meat Sauce
Description
The Stuffed Shells Recipe with Meat Sauce combines large pasta shells stuffed with a seasoned cheese and spinach mixture and topped with a homemade meat sauce. The filling blends ricotta cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, and well-squeezed thawed spinach. The turkey meat sauce, prepared by browning ground turkey with onions and garlic, simmers with crushed tomatoes and fresh basil to create a rich base. Baking the assembled shells covered at 375°F for 40 minutes allows the flavors to meld while keeping the pasta tender, then uncovering for 5 minutes adds slight browning.
This dish offers a pleasing combination of creamy texture inside the pasta shells and a sturdy tomato-based sauce on the outside. It delivers balanced savory notes from the turkey and herbs along with the mild richness of the cheese blend. The pasta provides a tender yet firm vessel that holds the filling and sauce well.
Serve the stuffed shells with additional sauce spooned on top and garnish with fresh basil if desired. It is suitable for a family dinner or gathering where a filling baked pasta dish is appreciated. The recipe’s ingredients and steps create a substantial, flavorful meal that suits casual or slightly dressed-up occasions.
Ingredients
- 27 jumbo pasta shells (such as barilla, or gf pasta, 9 ounces total)
- 1 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic chopped, cloves
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey or 93% lean, 99% lean
- 32 oz crushed tomatoes (I used Tuttorosso)
- 1 tbsp basil chopped, fresh
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese for more protein, part-skim
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese shredded, part-skim
- 1 large egg
- 16 oz spinach thawed and squeezed well, frozen, in package
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (or parmesan cheese)
Instructions
- Prep the Pasta Shells: Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil.
- In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Once shells are cooked and cool, fill each shell with (about 2 heaping tbsp) cheese mixture and place on a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes, covering the bottom of the dish with a little sauce.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Add the ground turkey and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Top shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered, about 15 minutes, until the flavors meld.
- Serve with additional sauce on top and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 9servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 3609 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 3stuffed shells | |
| Calories | 360.9kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 34.3g | 11% |
| Protein | 28.4g | 57% |
| Fat | 12.8g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.7g | 19% |
| Cholesterol | 72.5mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 375mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3.3g | 13% |
| Sugar | 0.5g | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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