Description
Indulge in these creamy ricotta beef stuffed shells, where hearty pasta meets a savory beef and cheese filling, all topped with rich tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. This comforting dish is perfect for family dinners and will impress your guests!
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 large pasta shells
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 ½ cups tomato basil sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Filling: In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Add minced garlic and dried oregano, stirring until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a bowl, combine the cooled beef mixture with ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, beaten egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended.
- Stuff and Assemble: Spread 1 cup of the tomato basil sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Fill each cooked pasta shell with the beef and cheese mixture, arranging them snugly in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella.
- Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
- Feel free to add extra herbs or vegetables to the filling for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg