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The Best Stuffed Shells Recipe

These amazing stuffed shells recipe is baked in a classic tomato and white sauce with delicious meat and ricotta cheese filling.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 14
Calories: 415 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

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

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Evenly pour the pomodoro sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish until it is coated.
  9. Next, randomly bour ¾ of the bechamel sauce on top of the tomato sauce. See Video.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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

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

% 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.