Description
Large pasta shells filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground beef and creamy ricotta cheese, baked in marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella — a comforting, Italian-inspired dinner classic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus more for topping)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Drain excess fat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked beef mixture with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Stuff each pasta shell with the beef and ricotta mixture and place in the dish, open side up.
- Top the shells with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle extra mozzarella on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or Italian sausage for the beef.
- Use store-bought marinara or your favorite homemade sauce.
- Let the shells cool slightly before serving for easier handling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 stuffed shells
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 90mg