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Stuffed Shells

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Stuffed Shells are a hearty Italian-inspired baked pasta dish featuring jumbo shells filled with creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, all smothered in savory marinara sauce and baked to perfection. A comforting and crowd-pleasing meal.

Ingredients

  • 20–24 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (for boiling pasta)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo shells and cook until al dente (about 8–9 minutes). Drain, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, and let cool.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 1½ cups mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  4. Fill each cooled shell with a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture and place open side up in the prepared baking dish.
  5. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella.
  6. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  7. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional Parmesan or herbs if desired.

Notes

Use a piping bag or spoon to fill shells easily and neatly.Don’t overcook pasta—al dente holds up better when baking.You can assemble up to a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.Freeze unbaked shells for meal prep—just bake directly from frozen.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookibly.com/stuffed-shells/