Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells

A simple way to make delicious Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells. Ready in about 1 hour using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

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 cheese mixture into each one with the other hand.

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.

🐄 How to Handle Raw Beef

Thaw raw ground beef on a plate on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator, to avoid dripping onto other foods.
Keep raw and ready-to-eat meats separate.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw ground beef. Wash cutting boards, bowls, and utensils used to prepare raw ground beef with hot soapy water and rinse well.
Use separate plates to carry raw ground beef patties to the cooking area and cooked patties to the serving area.
Use a Thermometer to ensure Ground Beef Reaches the Safely Cooked Internal Temperature of 160°F.

💭 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.

For more great recipes with Mozzarella Cheese, I suggest you check these recipes out:

📋 What Ingredients do I need

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 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.