Description
These Sun-Dried Tomato Ricotta Stuffed Shells are the perfect comfort food – creamy, cheesy, and full of bold Italian flavors. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a rich ricotta and sun-dried tomato mixture, baked in marinara sauce, and topped with melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz jumbo pasta shells
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, then stir in the egg.
- Step 3: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Step 4: Fill each pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the baking dish.
- Step 5: Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and extra Parmesan.
- Step 6: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Step 7: Sprinkle with fresh basil and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
Use whole-milk ricotta for the creamiest filling. Cook the pasta just until al dente to avoid mushy shells. Let the shells rest for 5 minutes after baking. You can assemble the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze unbaked for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 425 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Sun-Dried Tomato and Ricotta Stuffed Shells, baked pasta, Italian comfort food, cheesy shells