I was hosting a get-together recently and decided to serve these Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells for dinner. How can you go wrong with pasta, cheese and meat baked in a casserole?
I will be the first to admit that I do not enjoy stuffing pasta shells. Not particularly difficult to make but I just don’t care to hold pasta in one hand while squeezing the cheese mixture into each one with the other hand.
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The easiest way I have found is to put the filling in a bag like you would with icing to decorate a cake and “squirt” a small amount of the mixture into each pasta shell. The first few might be a little weird but after that, it should go pretty quick.
What is Al Dente
When making this recipe, it’s important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term “al dente”, it means cooking the pasta so it’s still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
Ingredient Substitution
If you don’t have any ricotta cheese on hand, you can substitute it for some low-fat cottage cheese. You can also use some Ground Turkey or Ground Sausage in place of the Ground Beef.
Can I Freeze
If you want to make this pasta dish ahead of time, you can cover and freeze it after covering the pasta shells with the meat sauce. When you are ready to use, place the dish in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake until cheese is golden brown.
You must try my Cheesy Pasta Pie if you like making (and eating) pasta dishes.
Serving Suggestions
What does better with a great pasta dish than some Cheesy Garlic Bread. This is the best garlic bread you will ever have!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Ground Beef, Yellow Onion, Garlic Clove, Hot Water, Tomato Paste, Better than Bouillon Beef, Dried Oregano, Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, Grated Parmesan Cheese and Jumbo Pasta Shells.
How to Make Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, onion, minced garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stuff shells with cheese mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Arrange the stuffed shells in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Pour the meat sauce over the shells. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.
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Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion, chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Cups Water, hot
- 12 oz Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Flavor
- 2 Tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 Egg, lightly beaten
- 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, divided
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 24 Jumbo Pasta Shells, cooked and drained
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells al dente according to directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, onion, minced garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stuff shells with cheese mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Arrange the stuffed shells in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Pour the meat sauce over the shells. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.
Notes
My family loved these Italian stuffed pasta shells. So delicious. I did put the filling in a pastry bag and it worked perfectly for me.