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5.0 from 9 votes

Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef

Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef is a hearty baked pasta made with lots of cheesy goodness and a beef marinara sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 (4 shells each)
Calories: 566 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 24 jumbo pasta shells (about 8 oz.) $1.99
  • 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.03
  • 1/2 lb. ground beef chuck $3.37
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced $0.22
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced $0.24
  • 24 oz. marinara sauce $3.29
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.25
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.03
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella $1.86
Cheese Filling
  • 15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese $3.39
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella $1.25
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan $0.58
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley $0.24
  • 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 1 large egg $0.18

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the jumbo shells. Cook the shells just until they’re al dente, making sure not to over cook them. The longer the shells boil, the more likely they are to tear during the stuffing process. Drain the shells in a colander and then rinse briefly with cool water and set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Brown the ground beef chuck. Drain any excess fat.
  3. Once the beef has browned, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Next add the marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the beef sauce to simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  5. While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling. In a medium bowl add the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, fresh chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, and egg. Stir all of the ingredients together well.
  6. Take half of the beef sauce mixture and layer it at the bottom of a large 9x13-inch casserole dish.
  7. Now one by one, stuff each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese filling. I used 1 heaping tablespoon per shell. Place the shells in the casserole dish as you stuff them.
  8. Once the shells are all stuffed, add the remaining beef sauce over top. Then sprinkle 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
  9. Loosely place some tented aluminum foil over the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes remove the foil and bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges. Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving 4shells Calories 566kcal (28%) Carbohydrates 37g (12%) Protein 34g (68%) Fat 31g (48%) Sodium 1410mg (59%) Fiber 3g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6(4 shells each)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 566

% Daily Value*

Serving 4shells
Calories 566kcal 28%
Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Protein 34g 68%
Fat 31g 48%
Sodium 1410mg 59%
Fiber 3g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.