Description
A hearty baked pasta dish featuring jumbo shells stuffed with a savory mix of ground beef, ricotta, and mozzarella, smothered in marinara sauce, and baked until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
20 jumbo pasta shells
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups marinara or tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until soft. Stir in garlic, then add ground beef and cook until browned. Season with basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of marinara sauce and simmer briefly.
In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and half of the cooked beef mixture.
Spread 1 cup of marinara in a baking dish. Stuff each shell with the ricotta-beef mixture and arrange in the dish. Top with the remaining beef mixture, remaining marinara, and mozzarella.
Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
Slightly undercook pasta shells to prevent them from falling apart during baking.
Use a piping bag or zip-top bag for easier filling.
Freeze before baking for a convenient make-ahead meal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 3–4 shells)
- Calories: ~480 kcal
- Sugar: ~7 g
- Sodium: ~720 mg
- Fat: ~23 g
- Saturated Fat: ~11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~10 g
- Trans Fat: <0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: ~36 g
- Fiber: ~3 g
- Protein: ~30 g
- Cholesterol: ~95 mg