Beef-Stuffed Shells with Creamy Ricotta Filling
A comforting Italian-American dish featuring tender jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy ricotta filling, smothered in savory beef marinara sauce, and baked with melty cheeses for a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta: Cook shells al dente, drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Cook Beef Mixture: Brown ground beef, drain fat, stir in marinara sauce, and simmer.
- Make Filling: Mix ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stuff Shells: Fill shells with ricotta mixture and arrange in a baking dish.
- Assemble Dish: Cover shells with beef marinara sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is golden.
Notes
- Substitute ground beef with Italian sausage for added spice.
- Use gluten-free pasta shells for dietary restrictions.
- Freeze stuffed shells individually for meal prep convenience.