Here’s a classic Stuffed Shells with Meat recipe 🐄🍝 — cheesy, hearty, and perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 12–16 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus extra for topping)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven
- 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the pasta shells
- Boil shells in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the meat
- In a skillet, cook ground beef or sausage with onion and garlic until browned.
- Drain excess fat. Stir in ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and herbs.
- Mix the filling
- In a bowl, combine cooked meat, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and optional parsley.
- Stuff the shells
- Fill each cooked shell with the meat and cheese mixture.
- Assemble in a baking dish
- Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom.
- Place stuffed shells in the dish and cover with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle extra mozzarella on top.
- Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.
- Serve
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Tips
- Make ahead: Assemble shells, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
- Vegetable boost: Add spinach or mushrooms to the filling.
- Extra cheesy: Mix shredded mozzarella into the filling and sprinkle on top.
If you want, I can also give you a crockpot version of stuffed shells with meat so it’s even easier to make with minimal hands-on time 😄
Do you want me to do that?
