Description
Delicious stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy ricotta and cheese mixture, baked in marinara sauce for an easy and comforting Italian-inspired dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Shells
- 20 jumbo shells
Sauces and Cheeses
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus additional for topping, if desired)
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
Other Ingredients
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped) or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large garlic clove (pressed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) to get it ready for baking the stuffed shells.
- Prepare shells: Boil the jumbo shells according to package instructions but reduce boiling time by one minute to prevent overcooking. Drain and cool for several minutes, then separate shells on a baking sheet to avoid sticking while preparing the filling.
- Prepare baking dish: Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Spoon enough marinara sauce to lightly coat the bottom layer of the dish.
- Make filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, ⅓ cup grated parmesan, cream cheese, beaten egg, parsley, pressed garlic, oregano, sea salt, and ground pepper. Mix until well combined and creamy.
- Stuff shells: Using a spoon, fill each cooled jumbo shell generously with the cheese filling and arrange them in the prepared casserole dish over the marinara sauce layer.
- Add sauce and cheese topping: Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded mozzarella and some grated parmesan cheese on top for a cheesy finish.
- Cover and bake: Lightly butter one side of a piece of foil or spray with cooking spray. Cover the casserole dish loosely with the foil, butter side down. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered until bubbly and golden on top.
- Serve: Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and enjoy your delicious stuffed shells warm.
Notes
- Boiling the shells one minute less than package instructions helps prevent them from becoming too soft and breaking when stuffing.
- Lightly buttering the casserole dish and foil prevents sticking and helps with an easy cleanup.
- You can substitute fresh herbs for dried if available for a more vibrant flavor.
- The cream cheese adds extra creaminess and richness to the filling, enhancing the texture.
- Feel free to add cooked spinach or ground meat to the filling for variation.
- Leftover stuffed shells reheat well in the oven covered with foil or in the microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell
- Calories: 185 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 345 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
