The Best Stuffed Shells Recipe
User Reviews
5.0
219 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 25 mins
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Servings
14
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Calories
415 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Italian
The Best Stuffed Shells Recipe
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These amazing stuffed shells recipe is baked in a classic tomato and white sauce with delicious meat and ricotta cheese filling.
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Ingredients
- 12 ounce box of jumbo conchiglie rigate
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 8 ounces loose Italian Sausage
- 8 ounces ground beef 85/15
- 5 ounces roughly chopped baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 pound small diced fresh mozzarella
- 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 pomodoro sauce recipe
- 1 bechamel sauce recipe
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Boil the conchiglie pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water, which takes about 8-9 minutes while gently stirring. Remove the noodles from the water, chill in an ice bath and then spread out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Add the olive oil to a large rondeau pot over medium heat and cook the onions until lightly browned, which takes about 10 minutes. Next add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Make sure to cut it down into small pieces.
- Mix in the baby spinach just until wilted and then transfer the mixture to a large plate and slightly spread everything out and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Once cool transfer to a large bowl along with the basil, ½ the amount of small diced mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, large egg, and salt and pepper, and mix until completely combined.
- Using a small spoon or a piping bag stuffed with the meat and cheese filling, stuff each shell until they are completely full. I was able to get 28 stuffed shells.
- Evenly pour the pomodoro sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish until it is coated.
- Next, randomly bour ¾ of the bechamel sauce on top of the tomato sauce. See Video.
- Line up as many stuffed shells as possible over the sauces. You may need to cook some in a separate dish if they all do not fit.
- Sprinkle on remaining small diced mozzarella and ½ cup of grated parmesan all over the top and bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.
- Garnish with optional chopped parsley or basil.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. You can however keep it warm covered in the oven at 200° for up to 30 minutes before cooking. In addition, if you want to prepare everything, you can assemble everything if it’s cold and chilled and then refrigerate covered 1 day before baking and serving. Add 10 minutes to your baking time since everything will be cold going into the oven.
- How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. You can freeze in the sauces or separate.
- How to Reheat: Add the number of stuffed shells with sauce to a saucepan and cover with foil and heat at 350° in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot.
- You can absolutely keep this recipe vegetarian by using all cheese and no meat. If doing so, add 1 more cup of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese to this recipe.
- It is ok to have leftover shell pasta as some of them will tear in the cooking and cooling process. Feel free to discard or keep the leftovers after stuffing.
- I had 8 shells that did not fit into the casserole dish so I baked them in a small separate dish.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
415kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
23g
(8%)
Protein
23g
(46%)
Fat
25g
(38%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
87mg
(29%)
Sodium
562mg
(23%)
Potassium
292mg
(8%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
1438IU
(29%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
351mg
(35%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 14Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 415 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 415kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 87mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 562mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 292mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 1438IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 351mg | 35% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
219 reviews
Excellent
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