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Home » Dinner Recipes » Lasagna Stuffed Shells

Lasagna Stuffed Shells

64 Comments By Jesseca on January 10, 2023

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This recipe for Lasagna Stuffed Shells is simply the best. Large pasta shells that are filled with a cheesy ricotta and spinach filling. Top everything off with your favorite pasta sauce and you’re good to go! Perfect for busy weeknights or as a go-to freezer meal!

Serve this pasta with an Italian Chopped Salad, Homemade Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots for a filling meal everyone will love!

white baking dish that is filled with pasta shells that have been filled with a ricotta meat mixture

Recipe Features:

  • Minimal Ingredients: Less than 10 ingredients! That means you can have this recipe made in a jiff.
  • Freezer Friendly: This recipe can be made in advance and frozen for up to three months.
  • Big Flavor: Italian stuffed shells with meat and ricotta cheese – you cannot get more flavorful.

This recipe for lasagna stuffed shells is my FAVORITE. It has everything you could ever want in a comfort food dish and checks all of the boxes. And did I mention it is easy.

Easy recipes are coveted in my household. The last thing I want to do after a long day of work is come home and spend hours in the kitchen. This one takes a whopping 30 minutes to whip up. I always make a double batch so we can have an extra pan in the freezer. Perfect to pull out on nights when I don’t want to cook!

White baking dish that is filled with stuffed shells and smothered in shredded mozzarella cheese on a white backdrop

Stuffed Shell Ingredients

  • Jumbo pasta shells: You can find these for around $1 in the pasta aisle. Large shells give you the perfect holder for the delicious filling.
  • Ricotta: Not a fan of ricotta? You can substitute cottage cheese. Although you won’t get the same texture.
  • Cheese: Use fresh mozzarella. When you fresh grate cheese it melts beautifully and has a wonderful soft texture. Pre-shredded cheese does not tend to melt quite as well. With the fresh version you get that ooey gooey melted cheese that you always see in restaurants.
  • Egg: The binding agent for the filling. An egg will help to hold everything together.
  • Spinach: Optional, but delicious. I always have a bag of frozen spinach in the freezer. It’s around $1 and the perfect way to add some veggies to many meals.
  • Meat: Ground beef or Italian sausage work for this recipe. We’ve even, in a pinch, substituted spicy breakfast sausage.
  • Spaghetti Sauce: Pick your favorite sauce. If I’m using store bought, I like Rao’s. That being said, you can always opt for this easy homemade version.

How To Make Lasagna Stuffed Shells

  1. PREP: Add water to a large pot with a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions and strain. While the water is boiling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×9 inch dish and set aside for later.
  2. BROWN: Place the uncooked sausage into a medium skillet that has been preheated over medium heat. Cook and crumble until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce. for later.
  3. FILLING: Stir the ricotta, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella, parmesan, egg and spinach in with the meat mixture.
  4. FILL: Spoon a heaping tablespoon or two of the filling into each cooked shell, placing each into the sauce lined baking dish. Continue until all of the shells are filled. It’s ok to squish them together.
  5. BAKE: Once filled, spread the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce over the shells and generously sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
three pasta shells in a white bowl sprinkled with extra cheese and a side of fresh basil

More Must Try Pasta Recipes

  • Thanksgiving Stuffed Shells

  • Alfredo Stuffed Shells

  • Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

    Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

  • ranch stuffed shells

Recipe Notes:

Can this recipe be made ahead?

Yes. You can prep this dish all the way through adding the cheese and covering with foil. Before you bake, place in the refrigerator and keep chilled until ready to serve. Bake as directed.
For this method, I do suggest adding more sauce.

Can you freeze stuffed shells?

Yes! This recipe is so convenient to have on hand. Pull it out on a busy weeknight and you have a filling delicious dinner ready to go.
1. Follow the instructions above until just before baking. Cover securely with heavy duty foil or a freezer container.
2. Take your stuffed shells out of the freezer the day before you plan on cooking them. Let them slightly thaw in the refrigerator.
3. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Can these be made vegetarian?

Of course! Skip the meat and use my veggie packed pasta sauce, minus the beef! If you want to hide the veggies, simply use an immersion blender before adding to the shells.

top down image of layers of pasta shells that have been filled with meat and ricotta in a white baking dish that has a layer of sauce on the bottom
4.86 from 82 votes

Lasagna Stuffed Shells

Created by: Jesseca

Course Dinner Recipes
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
6 servings
Lasagna Stuffed Shells. This easy dinner recipe is made with sausage, ricotta cheese, spinach, and your favorite pasta sauce! Perfect for busy weeknights or to stick in your freezer.
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Ingredients
  

  • 20 jumbo pasta shells
  • 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup frozen spinach thawed and drained
  • 2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb sausage or hamburger

Instructions

  • Bring a large bottle of water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and set aside.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup of your tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9×9 dish.
  • Add the uncooked sausage to a hot pan and cook until browned. Stir in 1 cup of your tomato sauce and set aside.
  • In a small bowl stir together the ricotta, 1/2 a cup of mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and spinach. Stir the mixture in with your sausage.
  • Spoon a hearty amount of the filling into each shell. Place into your prepared baking dish and continue until all are filled. Smother with the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce and generously sprinkle with mozzarella.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional ten minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Freeze Instructions:

  • Follow the instructions above until just before baking. Cover securely with heavy duty foil or a freezer container.
  • Take your stuffed shells out of the freezer the day before you plan on cooking them. Let them slightly thaw in the refrigerator.
  • Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Notes

*If you like a more saucy pasta, add 1 extra cup onto your shells. This is also a good idea if you plan on freezing these for later. 

Nutrition

Serving: 6people | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 125g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1369mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Silicone Spatula
Skillets

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Celeste says

    June 17, 2019

    Just curious as I have never used egg in my stuffed shells and was looking around to see what i could add to mine to switch it up a bit…what is the purpose of the egg?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      June 17, 2019

      That’s a great question, Celeste. The egg in this recipe is used as a binder to keep the filling together.

      Reply
  2. Willy Robertson says

    December 31, 2018

    5 stars
    Just made this using ground venison!! Turned out awesome!!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      December 31, 2018

      What an interesting idea! We will have to give it a try.

      Reply
  3. Lois says

    December 17, 2018

    Do you use plain canned tomato sauce? Not a marinara sauce?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      December 18, 2018

      Good question. I use my favorite canned spaghetti sauce. I will update that in the recipe.

      Reply
      • Lois says

        December 18, 2018

        Thanks so much! Making it today. 😊

      • Jesseca says

        December 18, 2018

        Excited for you to try it! We actually had it last night!

  4. Katie says

    December 13, 2018

    5 stars
    Make this recipe probably once a month. Figured I should leave a review.
    It is SO EASY. We add chopped veggies like zucchini and sometimes broccoli. super good. thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Jen says

    December 10, 2018

    5 stars
    Holy cow these are yummy! Made them for a dinner party and everyone was asking for the recipe! I did substitute ground hamburger for the sausage because it was what I had on hand.

    Reply
  6. Jaqueline says

    February 19, 2018

    5 stars
    I made this using a mix of beef and Italian sausage and no spinach. I also double the cheese filling. This is my go to stuffed shell recipe! Absolutely delicious every time!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      March 4, 2018

      Thank you so much for sharing, Jaqueline! My husband agrees with you on eliminating the spinach. I love the combination of both the beef and Italian sausage! Great idea.

      Reply
  7. Stephanie says

    November 8, 2017

    Hey if I use one pound of ground beef should I use one egg or two eggs?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      November 19, 2017

      Hi Stephanie, If you are using all ground beef the eggs will remain the same. Just one. :0)

      Reply
  8. Amber says

    September 28, 2017

    Delicious!!! What’s the best way to cook them from the freezer?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      September 29, 2017

      We pull them out of the freezer and leave them in the fridge overnight. Bake them as normal.

      Or add an additional 20-30 minutes if cooking from frozen.

      Reply
      • Amber says

        September 29, 2017

        Great! Thanks so much!

  9. Blair says

    September 4, 2017

    Silly question.. what kind of parmesan? Grated or shredded?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      September 5, 2017

      Not silly at all! I use shredded.

      Reply
  10. Marcel says

    November 4, 2016

    Hi, I was wondering how long would you add to the baking time if doing it from frozen?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      November 4, 2016

      I like to pull it out of the freezer the day before and keep it in the refrigerator so it can thaw a bit but if you forget I would add 20 minutes to the baking time or cook until heated through.

      Reply
  11. Jenn Ross says

    November 6, 2015

    5 stars
    These were delicious! I added half an onion, fresh spinach, and italian seasoning! I will be making these again! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      November 7, 2015

      I never thought to add onion! Great idea and love that you used fresh spinach!

      Reply
  12. Ruth says

    September 1, 2015

    How many people will this serve?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      September 2, 2015

      It really depends on how many shells each person is going to eat. We typically do 3 per person so this recipe would feed 6-7 people. If you planned a few sides and cut it down to 2 shells per person it would feed 10

      Reply
  13. Carolyn says

    June 5, 2015

    I can’t wait to try these but is there something I can substitute the spinach for or can I just leave it out? I have a very picky husband and kids and they won’t eat these with the spinach but will gobble them up without. These look absolutely divine.

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      June 5, 2015

      You can leave it out. We have in the past without any complaints. A lot of the flavor will come from the sausage and sauce.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        June 7, 2015

        Thank you, Jesseca!!!

  14. Rose says

    April 30, 2015

    5 stars
    Made these last night and they were GREAT! I subbed cottage cheese for ricotta (because that’s just what I had). Next time I make these (oh yes, there WILL be a next time!) I will mix the meat and cheese mixture simply to save a round of filling. Oh, and I had to use a 9×13 pan to make them fit.
    Thanks for posting such a tasty recipe – can’t wait to heat up the leftovers 🙂

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      May 1, 2015

      We’ve substituted cottage cheese a few times as well! So happy you liked the recipe.

      Reply
  15. amber says

    February 3, 2015

    5 stars
    Made this tonight for my boyfriend and I and it was so yummy!! Definitely making this again!

    Reply
  16. Kelsey says

    February 2, 2015

    How many people does this feed?

    Reply
  17. Rsampson says

    January 29, 2015

    5 stars
    Instead of using sausage I used beef. Flavored w Italian seasoning & mrs dash.

    And used a whole box of gluten free shells

    Used one pound meat
    Which required me to use a whole container of ricotta cheese, one can lead spinach, Italian and American cheese. Two eggs
    When I stuffed them I had the meat at the bottom and cheese filling on top 🙂
    It turned out well! Thanks for the easy recipe.

    Reply
  18. Dana K says

    January 22, 2015

    5 stars
    I came across these on Pinterest. They were absolutely DEVINE! My Husband and I both went back for seconds, not that we needed them. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      January 22, 2015

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  19. Liz says

    December 22, 2014

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was amazing!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      December 30, 2014

      So glad you loved it. It’s still one of our family favorites.

      Reply
  20. Jaclyn says

    December 18, 2014

    Bake covered? Meaning tin foil will work?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      December 22, 2014

      Yes, tin foil will work.

      Reply
  21. Deirdre says

    December 2, 2014

    It was DELICIOUS!! Thank you!!!

    Reply
  22. Deirdre says

    November 26, 2014

    I’m so excited to make this! Did you grind up the sausage or just chop it finely? I’m kinda new to cooking lol 🙂

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      November 27, 2014

      Hi Deidre! I ground the sausage while cooking it in a skillet. Good luck!

      Reply
  23. ROCHELLE says

    October 12, 2014

    i am making this now but used hamburger instead and added Lipton onion soup mix to it. Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  24. Avarie says

    October 10, 2014

    Hey there! This recipe looks delicious, and I can’t wait to try it!!
    I was just wondering if it’s okay to freeze it before baking? I’m trying to find good freezer recipes, and I would love to add this to my collection!

    Could anyone help me? Thanks so much!!:)

    Reply
  25. Lula says

    September 23, 2014

    5 stars
    These are delish!!

    Reply
  26. Lolly Jane says

    September 5, 2014

    Looks so good!
    xo

    Reply
  27. Jennifer says

    August 24, 2014

    I can’t wait to try these for dinner tonight. I was just wondering what type of Tomato sauce do you suggest to use? There are so many options out there and I find it a daunting task trying to pick one 😉

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      August 27, 2014

      We’ve tried several different store brands. I like Giada’s. You can find it in target and it comes in different flavors.

      Reply
  28. anne hurst says

    August 11, 2014

    Gathered my stuff to make and reread the recipe….after you put the meat mix in the shell I assume you then put the cheese mixture on top of it. But it doesn’t say that. About how much cheese mix goes in the shell. I think I can figure this out….making it for a birthday dinner…..looks good.

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      August 11, 2014

      I made these again last night and realized the directions aren’t the best. I will go through and update them today, but for now…

      Spread 1-2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture into your cooked shells. Top with a heaping scoop of the meat. Place in your pan and follow the remaining directions from there.

      Reply
  29. Rebecca Christilaw says

    June 27, 2014

    We are making this tonight for the missionaries in our area! So far so good! We are baking them now!

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      June 30, 2014

      You’ll have to let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  30. Amy says

    June 17, 2014

    Do you think you could make this and freeze it?

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      June 19, 2014

      Of course! We normally freeze half before baking and pull it out on another day. It’s the perfect freezer meal!

      Reply
  31. kero says

    June 15, 2014

    5 stars
    Just made these. Subbed in ground turkey with italian seasoning and left out the mozza (because I didn’t have any on hand). So good.. so easy… so my work lunch tomorrow! Love how versatile this recipe can be and look forward to adding other goodies to the mix. Thx!!

    Reply
    • kero says

      June 15, 2014

      Oh and also left out the egg because, wouldn’t you know it, I’m all out! Still came out great. Did some research and apparently lots of people make their lasagna without any eggs. =)

      Reply
      • Jesseca says

        June 16, 2014

        These are the types of comments I live for! Love that you enjoyed the meal and your changes keep things simple and delicious!

  32. Brittany says

    May 3, 2014

    5 stars
    Yum! Made this for lunch today. This recipe is a definite keeper! Thanks.

    Reply
  33. Amanda says

    August 7, 2013

    5 stars
    I just made this using beef instead of sausage and it was absolutely delicious! 🙂

    Reply
    • Jesseca says

      August 7, 2013

      I Love to hear that people enjoy my recipes!!

      Reply
  34. Jen Nikolaus says

    July 30, 2013

    Yummm! This sounds so delicious! Pinning to try soon!

    ~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy

    Reply
  35. Leanne says

    July 22, 2013

    Mmmm! Yum! I’ll have to find some gluten free shells to try this. It looks delicious!

    Reply
  36. Amy says

    July 22, 2013

    This looks delicious. It would be a great recipe to take to a new mom too. I’ll definitely have to store this in the “must try” pinterest board, because we always need new meals to add to our rotation. So glad you participated in Point of View!
    xoxo,
    Amy

    Reply

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Welcome, I'm Jesseca!

I could not be more excited to have you join me in my kitchen! Everyday easy recipes are my specialty, which means you will find so many fast, quick, and delicious recipes throughout my site. My goal is to create go-to recipes using simple ingredients and pantry staples.

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