Classic Stuffed Shells
Delicious Classic Stuffed Shells are the perfect easy, weeknight dinner. Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a smooth, creamy, cheesy filling flavored with fresh herbs and baked to perfection.
This recipe always looks so fancy and so I always think that it must be hard to make but it’s NOT!!!! It’s easy and it’s so delicious! This will make it on to your family stand by dinner.
Classic Stuffed Shells
ingredients
1 24 ounce bottle of marinara sauce
For the Cheese Filling:
- 20 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1.2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons basil, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Shells:
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- (1) 12 ounce box jumbo shells pasta
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. shredded
- 1/2 cup fontina cheese, cubed (mozzarella can be used instead)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 bottle of your favorite marinara sauce- I always use Prego mushroom
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Classic Stuffed Shells
directions
sauce:
Pour your marinara sauce into a saucepan to warm. Set aside.
For the Cheese Filling:
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In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, basil, egg, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir together until just smooth. Set aside until needed.
For the Shells:
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Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a 1 teaspoon of salt, then stir in the pasta shells. Set a timer and cook for exactly 4 minutes. Drain and quickly run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat the shells dry and set aside.
Assembly and Baking:
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
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Pour 1 and 1/2 cup of the marinara onto the bottom of a 9X13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
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Stuff each shell with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese filling, then place it in the baking dish. Nestle the shells as close together as possible. Repeat with all shells until you run out of cheese filling.
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Top shells with remaining pasta sauce, then sprinkle with both cheeses. Cover dish with foil.
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Bake the shells for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
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Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then sprinkle with parsley and parmesan and serve!
Can you freeze cooked classic stuffed shells?
Yes! This baked stuffed shells recipe is really just a casserole, so it’s definitely freezer-friendly. You can double the recipe and have a freezer meal ready. Let the dish cool, place it in a air tight container and set it in the freezer.
Did you try this Classic Stuffed Shells recipe? What did you think? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below, or tag us on Instagram!
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Easy Creamy Tomato Pasta! I’m not a straight marinara sauce lover, but I have found if I put a little cream into the sauce, I’m as happy as a clam!
The other night, we were making dinner and this is what we came up with, Easy Creamy Tomato Pasta! We used the tomatoes that we had bottled last Fall and we had the rest of the ingredients in the pantry. A win, win!
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I want to make this recipe for stuffed shells, but you did not give the total amount of marinara sauce needed. You just say to pour
1-1/2 cups into a 9X13 baking dish, then later, to “Top shells with remaining pasta sauce.” So how much sauce is used altogether?
Thank you.
I’m so sorry that I left that off! But thank you for bringing it to my attention. Sometimes you go over the recipe so many times and you still forget something. You need 1 24 ounce bottle of marinara sauce.