Stuffed shells with Parmesan, mozzarella, and marinara sauce is an easy pasta dinner your family will love. It’s easy to make and a comforting, cozy meal.
These easy stuffed shells are always a hit and a dinner that is guaranteed to get everyone around the table. It’s easy enough for a weeknight or you can prep it ahead and bake it later.
There is nothing better than pulling a baking dish of bubbling hot baked pasta shells out of the oven for dinner. Add a salad and some bread on the side for a dinner your family will love.
Stuffed pasta shells are a comforting, cozy dinner that I’ll make throughout the fall season. Even though this year is a little different with the kids attending remotely, they still finish the day ready for a hearty dinner. So, I’ve been getting organized and planning easy dinner recipes like these cheese-stuffed shells.
My Favorite Kitchen Tools To Make This Recipe
From trusty pots and pans to handy gadgets, I’ve curated a list of products I use and love.
The days are still warm here, but the evenings are definitely cooler, and what’s better on a crisp fall night than a bubbly hot baked pasta? It might look complicated, but this stuffed pasta shells recipe couldn’t be easier.
Stuffed shells recipe tips
Easy Cheese Filling
The cheese filling is so easy to make with very little prep work required.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
When you boil the jumbo pasta shells, cook them until they are al dente. This means they are still a bit chewy. Once you stuff them, they will finish cooking in the oven with the sauce and will be perfectly tender.
Before you stuff the shells, coat the bottom of an oven-safe pan or baking dish with marinara sauce.
Prepare the filling.
Gently spoon the filling into each shell and then place them in an even layer in the baking dish.
Fit the shells in the dish so they are nice and snug. This will also help keep them upright so the filling doesn’t spill out while they’re baking.
Spoon more marinara sauce over the shells.
And, of course, sprinkle lots of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake the shells for 25 minutes at 350°F or until the sauce is bubbling hot and the cheese is melted.
Make it Ahead for an Easy Dinner.
If you want to make things very easy, assemble the dish ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep well up to a few days in advance.
When it’s time for dinner, uncover it and add a few extra minutes to the baking time. Often, I assemble it during the weekend, so dinner is handled for Monday night. It makes the start of the week so much easier.
Cheesy stuffed jumbo shells are always a favorite at our house. I think it will be yours, too! I hope you love it
Pair this With…
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Easy Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese
- 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped about 8 to 10 leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook pasta shells in boiling water salted with 1 tablespoon salt, making sure to only cook until al dente.
- Meanwhile, prepare your baking dish by coating a 9×13" baking dish with cooking spray or lightly coat with butter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan and then set it aside.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse it with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta and Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper.
- Gently spoon the mixture into the the cooked shells. Place each stuffed shell into the baking dish on top of the sauce.
- Once all of the shells are stuffed, cover then with the remaining sauce and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Serve with bread, salad and maybe some brownies for dessert!
Notes
My family absolutely loved this meal, it is so filling and tasty!
So glad to hear that!!
We loved this recipe!
Thanks!
So delicious! Love this creamy, cheesy pasta
Thank you!
This is a family favorite! It’s so delicious and easy! I will definitely be making these again soon!
I’m so happy to hear you and the family loved it!
I love it! Such a new delicious meal for weeknights!
Thank you! So glad you enjoy it!
This is such a fantastic family meal! We love how tasty it is!
Thank you, so glad to hear that!
Definitely trying this with fresh green salad, a balanced healthy dinner!
That’s definitely a great side! Enjoy!
This is my kind of comfort food! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week; looks too good to pass up!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy!
Yum! This is one of my favorite easy meals!
Fantastic meal for everyone. Our kids loved this as well!
Sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to make this for dinner!