Description
Classic stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, enhanced with garlic and herbs, then baked to perfection in marinara sauce for a comforting and easy Italian-inspired main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 20 jumbo shells
Sauce
- 3 cups marinara sauce
Filling
- 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)
- 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 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Prepare the jumbo shells according to package instructions, boiling them for one minute less than recommended to avoid overcooking. Drain and let cool for several minutes to handle easily.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Spread several spoonfuls of marinara sauce on the bottom to lightly coat it.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1½ cups of mozzarella cheese, ⅓ cup grated parmesan, softened cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, chopped parsley, pressed garlic, oregano, sea salt, and ground pepper. Stir until well combined for a creamy and flavorful filling.
- Stuff Shells: Using a spoon, fill each cooked jumbo shell generously with the cheese filling. Place the stuffed shells into the prepared casserole dish on top of the marinara sauce layer.
- Add Sauce and Cheese Topping: Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese on top if desired.
- 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, buttered side down, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and Finish Baking: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese and allow the sauce to bubble.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then serve the stuffed shells warm for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Boil pasta shells one minute less than package instructions to prevent them from becoming too soft and breaking when stuffing.
- Lightly buttering the baking dish and foil prevents sticking and helps with easy cleanup.
- You can substitute fresh parsley with dried parsley using half the amount.
- For a vegetarian option, ensure the marinara sauce and cheeses contain no animal rennet.
- The cream cheese adds a subtle tang and creamy texture to the filling.
- Leftover stuffed shells can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
- Top with extra parmesan cheese before serving for added flavor.
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
