Ricotta stuffed shells are an easy, hearty, and classic Italian comfort food that can feed the whole family. Tender jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a delicious cheese mixture made with three types of cheese and placed on a layer of marinara sauce before popping into the oven to bake until golden brown, bubbly perfection. Plus, stuffed shells are so easy to make ahead and store for another day. The perfect lazy day dinner!
Why You'll Love Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- They’re quick and easy. Ricotta stuffed shells are easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. Plus, the prep time is quick, taking about 15 minutes. Then, pop them into the oven for 30 minutes and enjoy a comforting dinner that took just 45 minutes from prep to table.
- The perfect family meal. When it comes to the best family dinners, it’s all about comfort foods and casseroles that can feed a crowd. Stuffed shells check all the boxes. Some other favorites that both adults and kids will love are Lasagna Roll Ups and Pasta Bake with Sausage.
- Easy to make ahead for meal prep. These ricotta stuffed shells are a great dinner to meal prep for weeks to come. You can make them up to a day ahead and store in the fridge until ready to bake (perfect to prep in the morning and pop into the oven at dinner time). You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and enjoy on another day.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make delicious Stuffed Shells, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- jumbo pasta shells
- marinara sauce - feel free to use homemade marinara sauce or store-bought. You can also substitute with pasta sauce.
- cheese - you will need 3 types of cheese — ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- egg
- parsley
- salt and pepper
You can customize these stuffed shells by adding other ingredients into the ricotta cheese mixture. Some popular items are spinach, mushrooms, zucchini. Or bell peppers. Make sure to cook them first before adding to the filling mixture.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, medium cooking pot, mixing bowl, cookie scoop, and an 8-inch square casserole pan.
How to Make the Best Stuffed Shells
- Cook the shells. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta jumbo shells and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm) according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pot. Drain and rinse the jumbo shells under cold water to cool off completely and set aside in the pot.
- Make cheese mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all three kinds of cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
- Stuff the shells and assemble. Use a cookie scoop to stuff each cooked pasta shell with approximately ⅓ cup of the cheese mixture. In an 8-inch square casserole pan, add and spread marinara sauce evenly. Place the stuffed shells on top and sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375F preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil until the cheese turns golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Storing Instructions
- How to freeze uncooked stuffed shells: Assemble the shells (until just before baking), then cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake the shells directly from frozen and add an extra 30 minutes to the cook time.
- How to store: Store ricotta stuffed shells in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Allow the stuffed shells to cool completely before storing them to avoid condensation.
- How to freeze cooked stuffed shells: You can also freeze cooked stuffed shells. Store them all together in an airtight container or portion them out into individual-sized meal prep containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat: You can reheat cooked stuffed shells in a 350 F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave on low to medium heat for several minutes.
More Baked Pasta Recipes
- 40 Best Pasta Recipes
- Meat Lasagna
- Cheesy Tortellini and Sausage Bake
- Pasta Bake with Sausage
- White Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
- Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Bake
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Recipe
Stuffed Shells
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 shells
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Ricotta stuffed shells are an easy, hearty, and classic Italian comfort food that can feed the whole family. Easy to make ahead and freeze for another day.
Ingredients
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
- 3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
For the cheese filling:
- 1 + ½ cups ricotta cheese (14 ounces/400 grams)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta jumbo shells and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm) according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pot.
- Drain and rinse the jumbo shells under cold water to cool off completely and set aside in the pot.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all three kinds of cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
- Use a cookie scoop to stuff each cooked pasta shell with approximately ⅓ cup of the cheese mixture. In an 8-inch square casserole pan, add and spread marinara sauce evenly. Place the stuffed shells on top and sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil until the cheese turns golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
How to freeze uncooked stuffed shells: Assemble the shells (until just before baking), then cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake the shells directly from frozen and add an extra 30 minutes to the cook time.
How to store: Store ricotta stuffed shells in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Allow the stuffed shells to cool completely before storing them to avoid condensation.
How to freeze cooked stuffed shells: You can also freeze cooked stuffed shells. Store them all together in an airtight container or portion them out into individual-sized meal prep containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
How to reheat: You can reheat cooked stuffed shells in a 350 F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave on low to medium heat for several minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
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