Description
Stuffed pasta shells with a savory beef and ricotta filling, baked in marinara and topped with melted cheese. It’s like lasagna in shells!
Ingredients
Scale
- 24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 jar (24 ounces) Marinara sauce
- 1 tub (15 ounces) reduced fat ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
- Boil the pasta: Prepare the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and put the shells back into the pot; fill the pot with cold water and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet set over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
- Cook the beef: Stir in the beef, season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in ¾ cup marinara and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the cheese filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and oregano; mix and stir until combined.
- Combine: Add the meat mixture to the ricotta mixture and stir until incorporated.
- Stuff the pasta shells: Drain the shells. Spoon the filling into the shells, about 2 tablespoons of filling per shell.
- Bake: Arrange the shells in the baking dish and top them with the remaining cheese and marinara sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 4 to 5 more minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
- Rest and serve: Remove the stuffed pasta shells from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Cook the pasta shells just until al dente to ensure they maintain their shape after baking. This dish can be assembled in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 stuffed shells
- Calories: 416 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 901 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 117 mg
Keywords: stuffed pasta shells, beef and ricotta, baked pasta, lasagna shells, Italian dinner