Stuffed Shells
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Make the best Stuffed Shells for dinner tonight with this easy recipe! This cheesy baked pasta dish is a classic Italian-American recipe that’s full of flavor. You can easily prep it ahead of time, or freeze an extra tray of shells for later. This is a great make-ahead meal and a recipe that the entire family will love!
What makes this recipe the best
Stuffed pasta shells are a traditional Italian dish that’s been made for decades, so what makes this recipe the best?
- The creamy three cheese filling. Combining ricotta cheese with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese makes this recipe for stuffed shells extra cheesy and delicious!
- Flavorful marinara sauce. I use my recipe for homemade marinara sauce that’s super simple, but so flavorful. I guarantee it will become your go-to marinara sauce recipe!
- They’re easy to make! A flavorful sauce and extra cheesy filling means that you know these stuffed shells are going to taste delicious, but the best part about this recipe is that it’s also easy to make! You can whip up the cheesy filling while boiling the jumbo pasta shells, then fill them up, arrange them in a casserole dish and pop them in the oven. This is a simple, but impressive meal!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this stuffed shells recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Jumbo shells – found on the pasta aisle at the grocery store. You’ll want a 12 ounce box that will contain approximately 35 pasta shells.
- Ricotta cheese – whole milk ricotta cheese will give you the most flavor and best texture.
- Mozzarella cheese – I recommend grating the cheese at home so it melts nicely into the stuffed shells. Pre-grated bags of cheese at the grocery store contain ingredients that prevent them from melting as well as fresh grated cheese.
- Parmesan cheese – feel free to use “shaker parm” or fresh grated parmesan cheese. Either one will work just fine in this recipe. I’ve tested it with both and they both work great.
- Egg (optional) – adding a large egg to the cheese mixture helps bind the cheese together and makes it easier to fill the shells. This ingredient is optional and can be left out if you don’t have any eggs on hand.
- Fresh basil
- Italian seasoning – click the link for my easy homemade seasoning blend. It takes 5 minutes to whip up and you can store it in the pantry for up to 6 months. You can also purchase pre-made Italian seasoning on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Salt
- Marinara sauce – click the link for my easy homemade marinara sauce recipe. It’s made with 8 simple ingredients in 30 minutes. You can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. You can also use store-bought sauce, Rao’s is my favorite brand. If you prefer to cover the shells in a meat sauce, you can make my Italian sausage marinara, or bolognese sauce with ground beef.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the jumbo shells and cook until al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Drain, then arrange them in an even layer on a cutting board to cool.
- Prepare the cheesy filling. While you’re waiting for the pasta to cook and cool, prepare the three cheese filling. Add ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, a whole egg, fresh basil, Italian seasoning and salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Fill the shells. Use a spoon or piping bag to fill the shells with the cheesy mixture.
- Assemble the casserole. Pour a cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish. Arrange the cheese stuffed shells in a single layer on top of the marinara sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells in the dish. Sprinkle more shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the dish, then tightly cover the casserole dish with a piece of aluminum foil. Place in a 350°F oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the piece of foil on top of the dish and bake the stuffed shells for another 10 minutes to nicely melt the cheese on top. Feel free to garnish with extra fresh chopped basil or parsley before serving.
This dish can be assembled up to two days in advance. Cover and store it in the fridge, until you’re ready to bake the stuffed shells.
Make-ahead, storage and reheating tips
Every time I make this recipe I double it and freeze a tray for later. This is a great make-ahead meal for another day and you’ll be so happy to find it in your freezer!
When freezing a tray of stuffed shells for later, it’s best to store them in an airtight container with a lid. If you don’t have a casserole dish with a lid, you can tightly cover it with two pieces of foil and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When it’s time to cook them, you can take them straight from the freezer and place them in the oven, covered with foil. Add 15 minutes to the first baking time, so you’ll want to cook the stuffed shells for 35 minutes while covered with the foil. Remove the foil and bake for an extra 10 minutes.
If you have leftover cooked stuffed shells, you can store them in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or oven. If reheating one serving, I recommend placing it on a plate and into the microwave for 2-3 minutes. If you’re reheating multiple servings at one time, I recommend placing the stuffed shells in an oven-safe dish and covering it with foil. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the dish is heated through.
What to serve with them
Stuffed shells are delicious served with bread on the side to soak up any extra sauce. I like to serve them with cheesy pull apart rolls, garlic knots, or garlic bread.
For a side salad, I like an Italian salad, grilled caesar salad (in the summer months!), or eggplant salad.
Since these stuffed shells contain no meat, if you’d like to add a protein to go with them, I love to pair the shells with my homemade meatballs.
More pasta recipes
Try these other tested and perfected pasta recipes in your kitchen!
Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells, uncooked (approximately 35 shells)
- 32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 32 ounces marinara sauce, click link for the recipe
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Add the jumbo shells and cook 4-5 minutes, drain, then set aside in an even layer on a cutting board to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh basil, Italian seasoning and salt.
- Spoon the cheese mixture into the cooked shells.
- Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.
- Place the filled shells in a single layer on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells.
- Evenly spread the remaining two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese over the shells in the baking dish.
- Cover with foil, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
Notes
- Marinara sauce: if you would prefer to cover the shells in a meat sauce, you can make my Italian sausage marinara, or bolognese sauce with ground beef.
- This dish can be assembled up to two days in advance. Cover and store it in the fridge, until you’re ready to bake the stuffed shells. You can also freeze uncooked shells for up to 6 months in the freezer. It’s best to store them in an airtight container with a lid. If you don’t have a casserole dish with a lid, you can tightly cover it with two pieces of foil instead.
Nutrition Facts
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