Stuffed Shells | Simple Recipe For Stuffed Shells

If you’re looking for a super simple recipe for stuffed shells that doesn’t skimp on flavor, I have just the dish for you! With just a few ingredients and a baking dish, you can make a recipe for Stuffed Shells that the whole family will rave about in under 30 minutes!

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe For Stuffed Shells

• Fast. Have a delightfully delicious and filling meal on the table in under 30 minutes.
• Easy. Mix a few ingredients for the filling, stuff the shells, and bake until hot and bubbly.
• Filling. With a combination of both pasta and protein, you won’t have to worry about after-dinner snacking.
• Versatile. Customize the filling of your stuffed shells to make a dish your whole family will love.
• Great for meal prep. These Italian Stuffed Shells are amazing straight out of the oven, but they might just be even better warmed up the day after!

What Is The Difference Between Manicotti And Stuffed Shells?

When you compare the core ingredients for the two dishes, you may not be able to easily tell them apart. Both recipes call for a variety of cheeses, a protein, sometimes a leafy green, sauce, and pasta.

So, what IS the difference between manicotti and stuffed shells? Well, the shape of the pasta. Manicotti is a long, tubular pasta that gets stuffed with the filling. Stuffed shells are made with jumbo shells that form a bowl for you to fill with the tasty cheese and meat mixture.

Do You Put Eggs In Stuffed Shells?

Yes, I do put eggs in this recipe for stuffed shells. I like to include the egg in the pasta filling because it helps hold together the ingredients and it also gives a bit of a fluffier texture to the ricotta cheese. This gives a lighter feeling bite to a dish that can easily feel overly dense with the combination of rich ingredients.

How Much Sauce Do You Put In Stuffed Shells?

Depending on your personal preference, you may want to switch up the amount of marinara sauce you use in your stuffed shells. I only use 8 ounces of sauce (about half of a jar) for the entire dish.

I prefer to use as little sauce as I can to keep the pasta moist but to be cautious to not overpower the lovely flavor of the filling with the tomato sauce. If you prefer your pasta to be thoroughly coated with sauce, you can use the whole jar.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Jumbo Shells– Trust me, you don’t want to take the time to stuff a bunch of smaller shells.
• Italian Sausage– You can choose mild or hot, depending on your family’s preference.
• Ricotta Cheese– This gives a creamy texture to your stuffed shell filling.
• Mozzarella Cheese– Melts easily and is the gooey, stringy cheese you expect to find in a stuffed shell recipe.
• Parmesan Cheese– Adds another layer of cheesy flavor.
• Egg– Helps bind the filling and creates a light and fluffy texture.
• Marinara Sauce– Keeps the pasta from drying out during the baking process.
• Salt– Just a pinch, as all of the cheese in this recipe can be quite salty.
• Oregano– Kicks up the flavor in the marinara sauce for a tasty bite.

How To Make Stuffed Shells

Step 1: Cook the pasta. In a large pot, bring some salted water to a boil. Add your jumbo shells and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Step 2: Brown the sausage. While the pasta is cooking, brown the Italian sausage in a skillet until it is thoroughly cooked.

Step 3: Let the pasta cool. Remove the partially cooked pasta from the water and allow it to cool.

Step 4: Make the filling. Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, salt, oregano, Italian sausage, and egg in a large bowl.

Step 5: Add some sauce. In a baking dish, add a thin layer of marinara sauce.

Step 6: Stuff the shells. Place a single jumbo shell in the palm of your hand. Grab a heaping spoonful of the filling mixture and carefully stuff the pasta. Not a fan of getting your hands dirty? I’ll include steps to use a pastry bag below.

Step 7: Fill the baking dish. Place the stuffed pasta in your baking dish on top of the layer of marinara sauce. Repeat this step until your dish is filled with a single layer of stuffed shells.

Step 8: Top with sauce and cheese. Drizzle more marinara sauce and sprinkle more mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the stuffed shells.

Step 9: Cook it. Bake this stuffed shells recipe until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Tips And Tricks

• When you’re letting your pasta cool, keep the shells from touching each other, or they will stick to each other and rip when you attempt to separate them to stuff.
• Always cook a few extra jumbo shells. Pasta can be finicky, so I prefer to err on the side of caution. I always like to cook a few extra noodles in case they rip while I’m filling them or they stick to the pan or each other while cooking.
• When browning your Italian sausage, make sure it is crumbled up into small pieces. This ensures you get a little bit of that sausage flavor in every bite.
• Don’t be a perfectionist. You may need to make this recipe for stuffed shells a time or two before it looks pretty, and that’s ok. Even if it’s not fit for a magazine cover, it’ll still taste delicious.

How Long Do They Last?

As I mentioned earlier, this recipe for stuffed shells is great straight out of the oven, but some days I prefer the leftovers more than the fresh dish. I love to spend some time meal prepping once a week to get ready for busy weeknights, and this recipe is a winner every time.

For the best results, try to enjoy any leftovers you may have within 3-4 days of preparing them.

What Do You Eat With Stuffed Shells?

The perfecting pairing for stuffed shells is really anything that you would normally pair with spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo, or any of your other favorite Italian meals.

Here are a few of my favorite things to pair with these Italian Stuffed Shells:

• Garlic Bread
• Side Salad
• Green Beans
• Roasted Broccoli
• Corn

More Delicious Pasta Dishes

If you’re like me and can’t get enough pasta in your dinner lineup, check out some more of my favorite pasta recipes:

• Instant Pot Ramen
• Tuscan Chicken Pasta
• Instant Pot Stroganoff with Ground Beef
• Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

If you love this recipe for stuffed shells as much as we do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Instagram so they can try it too! Don’t forget to Pin it so you can make them again soon.