In this recipe for Stuffed Shells with Sausage, take a trip to the Mediterranean with flavors like sun dried tomatoes, capers and feta cheese. These delicious shells are incredibly flavorful and topped off with a delectable red wine tomato sauce!

A black spoon scooping out a stuffed shell from a pot.

Stuffed shells are fun to make, delicious to eat and easy to make ahead of time. Since 2011, I’ve posted several stuffed shell recipes on the blog, including Mexican Stuffed Shells and Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells. But today, I’m super excited to introduce this new recipe for Mediterranean Stuffed Shells with Sausage.

There’s so much flavor stuffed inside the shells, then they’re topped off with even more flavor from the homemade red wine tomato sauce. These scrumptious shells can be on the table in less than an hour, and also make great leftovers, if you can manage not to eat them all the first time around!

Mediterranean Stuffed Shells Ingredients

Ingredients

  • Jumbo pasta shells – these will be found on the pasta aisle at the grocery store, near the other shells.
  • Sun dried tomato chicken sausage – or the sausage flavor of your choice. I do recommend something that has a Mediterranean or Italian flavor.
  • Red onion
  • Crimini mushrooms – also known as baby bella mushrooms. You can also use white button mushrooms, if you prefer.
  • Kale – for this recipe I used common curly kale, but you could use another type of kale, or spinach instead.
  • Feta cheese
  • Capers
  • Sun dried tomatoes – if you purchase tomatoes packed in oil, you’ll want to drain them from the oil and pat them dry.
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic cloves
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Tomato paste
  • Red wine
  • Seasonings – basil, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.

Step by step instructions

Cook the pasta shells. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the shells and cook until al dente.

A pot filled with water and pasta shells.

Prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, basil, peppers, oregano and salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.

Red Wine Tomato Sauce in a pot on the stove.

Brown the sausage. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, remove the sausage from the casing and add it to the skillet. Crumble and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Sausage cooking in a red and white skillet.

Cook the veggies. Add in the red onions and mushrooms, cook for 3-4 minutes, then add in the kale. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Skillet filled with sausage, kale, and onions.

Mix the filling. Place the sausage and veggies in a large bowl with the feta, capers and sun dried tomatoes. Stir to combine.

A white bowl filled with sausage, onion, kale, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Lay out the shells. Drain and separate the al dente shells. Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Cooked pasta shells on a wooden cutting board.

Stuff the pasta. Spoon the sausage, kale, and mushroom mixture into the shells.

sausage filling for stuffed shells in large bowl

Create a base. Pour half of the sauce in the bottom of an oven safe dish.

red wine tomato sauce in round baking dish

Add the shells. Place the shells on top with the openings facing up.

Mediterranean Stuffed Shells in a pot.

Top and bake. Cover the shells with the remaining sauce, then top with the parmesan cheese. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.

An oven safe pot filled with stuffed shells covered with red sauce and parmesan cheese.

Garnish and Serve. Sprinkle on fresh basil and enjoy!

Stuffed Shells with Red wine Tomato Sauce in baking dish

Frequently asked questions

  • What are the large pasta shells called? The official name for the largest size of pasta shells is conchiglioni, but most of the time, you’ll see them labeled as “jumbo shells” at grocery stores in the US.
  • Can I make this recipe vegetarian? Yes, you can! Leave out the sausage and double the amount of mushrooms instead.
  • How do I make the sauce smooth? If you like a less chunky, smoother sauce, you can remove the sauce from the stove and purée it in a blender or food processor. You can also use an immersion blender, to blend the sauce right in the pot.

What to serve with it

While this dish can serve as a complete meal, it also tastes fantastic along with any of these delicious recipes.

three stuffed shells with tomato sauce on a white plate

More baked pasta recipes to try

Keep your oven hot and make these other delicious and comforting pasta dishes!

Baked Mediterranean Stuffed Shells
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Mediterranean Stuffed Shells

Mediterranean Stuffed Shells are filled with delicious ingredients like sun dried tomatoes and chicken sausage, then topped with a red wine tomato sauce!

Ingredients

Mediterranean Stuffed Shells

Red Wine Tomato Sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente.
  • While the pasta is boiling, prepare the sauce.
  • Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
  • Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine.
  • Add the basil, black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano and salt.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer while preparing the sausage mixture for stuffing in the shells.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the sausage and cook 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the red onions and mushrooms, cook 3-4 minutes, then add the kale.
  • Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  • Place in a large bowl with the feta, capers and sun dried tomatoes.
  • Combine the mixture.
  • By this time the pasta should be cooked to al dente, drain and separate the shells.
  • Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Spoon the sausage, kale, mushroom mixture into the shells.
  • Pour half of the sauce in the bottom of an oven safe dish.
  • Place the shells on top with the openings of the shells facing up.
  • Cover with the remaining sauce, then top with the parmesan cheese.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes.

Notes

Vegetarian Option: Omit the sausage and double the amount of mushrooms to make this recipe vegetarian.
Gluten Free Option: Use gluten-free large shell pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts

Serving 4gCalories 450kcal (23%)Carbohydrates 46g (15%)Protein 21g (42%)Fat 21g (32%)Saturated Fat 7g (35%)Cholesterol 54mg (18%)Sodium 1647mg (69%)Potassium 1255mg (36%)Fiber 5g (20%)Sugar 13g (14%)Vitamin A 3285mg (66%)Vitamin C 51.4mg (62%)Calcium 339mg (34%)Iron 4.6mg (26%)
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