If you love lasagna but are looking for a fun twist, then these stuffed shells are about to become your new favorite! Imagine all the cheesy, saucy goodness of lasagna, but tucked inside giant pasta shells for a dish that’s as delightful to make as it is to eat. Perfect for a cozy family dinner or impressing guests, this stuffed shells recipe will have everyone asking for seconds.
Serve this pasta with an Italian Chopped Salad, Homemade Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots for a filling meal everyone will love!
Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Meat
- Family-Friendly: It’s a hit with kids and adults alike, making it perfect for family dinners.
- Impressive Yet Easy: This dish looks impressive but is actually easy to prepare, making it great for entertaining guests.
- Make-Ahead Meal: You can prepare it in advance and bake it when needed, saving time on busy days.
- Great for Leftovers: The leftovers reheat well, making for delicious next-day meals.
This recipe for stuffed pasta shells has long been a family, and reader, favorite. It’s got all of that classic comfort food of a lasagna but is a lot easier, at least in my opinion. Whenever I whip up a batch my teenager immediately asks me to double it so we can freeze a second pan for later. We never have leftovers and everyone constantly asks for the recipe.
Choosing stuffed shells over traditional lasagna offers a fun and practical twist on a classic favorite. The individual shells make portion control a breeze and add an elegant presentation that’s perfect for entertaining. Plus, the process of filling the shells is simpler and less time-consuming than layering a lasagna. Each bite-sized shell is packed with the same cheesy, saucy goodness, ensuring a flavorful experience in every bite. It’s a versatile, make-ahead meal that’s great for busy weeknights or impressing guests at dinner parties.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- 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. This is the base for the cheese filling for stuffed shells.
- 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.
Stuffed Shells With Spinach
- Boil the Noodles: Fill a large pot with water and add a pinch of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta shells and cook them according to the directions on the package.When the shells are cooked, drain them in a colander.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: While the water is boiling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish. Set the dish aside for later.
- Cook the Sausage: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the uncooked sausage to the skillet. Cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula, until it is browned and fully cooked (about 3 to 5 minutes).Remove the skillet from the heat.Stir in 1 cup of spaghetti sauce with the sausage.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the cooked sausage mixture, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and spinach. Stir everything together until well mixed.
- Stuff the Shells: Take a cooked pasta shell and spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling mixture into it. Place the filled shell into the sauce-lined baking dish. Repeat this process until all the shells are filled and the dish is full. It’s okay if the shells are close together.
- Bake the Shells: Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese generously on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.After 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Enjoy your delicious stuffed shells!
Expert Recipe Tips:
- Cook Shells Al Dente: Boil the pasta shells just until al dente, as they will continue to cook in the oven. This prevents them from becoming too soft and falling apart.
- Cool the Shells: After draining the cooked shells, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and make them easier to handle when filling.
- Season Well: Taste the meat mixture before adding it to the filling to ensure it’s well-seasoned. You can add extra garlic, Italian seasoning, or red pepper flakes to the sausage for more flavor.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the stuffed shells ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. This makes it a great dish for meal prep or entertaining.
- Freeze for Later: Stuffed shells freeze well. Assemble them in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly, and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
- Double the Recipe: If you’re cooking for a crowd or want leftovers, double the recipe and bake in a larger dish or two separate dishes.
Helpful Recipe FAQs
After boiling the shells, rinse them with cold water and toss them gently with a bit of olive oil. This helps prevent them from sticking together and makes them easier to handle.
Yes, you can assemble the stuffed shells up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. This makes it a convenient option for meal prep or entertaining. Or cover tightly and freeze for up to three months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350°F, covered with foil, until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but the oven yields better results for larger quantities.
Use your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce. Homemade or store-bought both work well. You can also use a meat sauce for extra flavor. We really like Rao’s, but also add seasonings like garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
The shells are done when the cheese on top is melted and bubbly, and the sauce is hot and slightly thickened. You can also insert a knife into the center to check if it’s hot.
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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
- Fill a large pot with water and add a pinch of salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta shells and cook them according to the directions on the package.When the shells are cooked, drain them in a colander.
- While the water is boiling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish. Set the dish aside for later.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the uncooked sausage to the skillet. Cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula, until it is browned and fully cooked (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat.Stir in 1 cup of spaghetti sauce with the sausage.
Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked sausage mixture, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and spinach. Stir everything together until well mixed.
Assembly
- Take a cooked pasta shell and spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling mixture into it. Place the filled shell into the sauce-lined baking dish. Repeat this process until all the shells are filled and the dish is full. It’s okay if the shells are close together.
- Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese generously on top.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.After 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 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.
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Comments & Reviews
Jesseca says
One of our favorite freezer meals
Celeste says
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?
Jesseca says
That’s a great question, Celeste. The egg in this recipe is used as a binder to keep the filling together.
Willy Robertson says
Just made this using ground venison!! Turned out awesome!!
Jesseca says
What an interesting idea! We will have to give it a try.
Lois says
Do you use plain canned tomato sauce? Not a marinara sauce?
Jesseca says
Good question. I use my favorite canned spaghetti sauce. I will update that in the recipe.
Lois says
Thanks so much! Making it today. 😊
Jesseca says
Excited for you to try it! We actually had it last night!
Katie says
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!
Jen says
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.
Jaqueline says
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!
Jesseca says
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.
Stephanie says
Hey if I use one pound of ground beef should I use one egg or two eggs?
Jesseca says
Hi Stephanie, If you are using all ground beef the eggs will remain the same. Just one. :0)
Amber says
Delicious!!! What’s the best way to cook them from the freezer?
Jesseca says
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.
Amber says
Great! Thanks so much!
Blair says
Silly question.. what kind of parmesan? Grated or shredded?
Jesseca says
Not silly at all! I use shredded.
Marcel says
Hi, I was wondering how long would you add to the baking time if doing it from frozen?
Thanks!
Jesseca says
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.
Jenn Ross says
These were delicious! I added half an onion, fresh spinach, and italian seasoning! I will be making these again! Thanks for the recipe!
Jesseca says
I never thought to add onion! Great idea and love that you used fresh spinach!
Ruth says
How many people will this serve?
Jesseca says
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
Carolyn says
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.
Jesseca says
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.
Carolyn says
Thank you, Jesseca!!!
Rose says
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 🙂
Jesseca says
We’ve substituted cottage cheese a few times as well! So happy you liked the recipe.
amber says
Made this tonight for my boyfriend and I and it was so yummy!! Definitely making this again!
Kelsey says
How many people does this feed?
Rsampson says
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.
Dana K says
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!
Jesseca says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Liz says
Made this tonight and it was amazing!
Jesseca says
So glad you loved it. It’s still one of our family favorites.
Jaclyn says
Bake covered? Meaning tin foil will work?
Jesseca says
Yes, tin foil will work.
Deirdre says
It was DELICIOUS!! Thank you!!!
Deirdre says
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 🙂
Jesseca says
Hi Deidre! I ground the sausage while cooking it in a skillet. Good luck!
ROCHELLE says
i am making this now but used hamburger instead and added Lipton onion soup mix to it. Can’t wait to try it.
Avarie says
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!!:)
Lula says
These are delish!!
Lolly Jane says
Looks so good!
xo
Jennifer says
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 😉
Jesseca says
We’ve tried several different store brands. I like Giada’s. You can find it in target and it comes in different flavors.
anne hurst says
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.
Jesseca says
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.
Rebecca Christilaw says
We are making this tonight for the missionaries in our area! So far so good! We are baking them now!
Jesseca says
You’ll have to let me know how they turn out!
Amy says
Do you think you could make this and freeze it?
Jesseca says
Of course! We normally freeze half before baking and pull it out on another day. It’s the perfect freezer meal!
kero says
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!!
kero says
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. =)
Jesseca says
These are the types of comments I live for! Love that you enjoyed the meal and your changes keep things simple and delicious!
Brittany says
Yum! Made this for lunch today. This recipe is a definite keeper! Thanks.
Amanda says
I just made this using beef instead of sausage and it was absolutely delicious! 🙂
Jesseca says
I Love to hear that people enjoy my recipes!!
Jen Nikolaus says
Yummm! This sounds so delicious! Pinning to try soon!
~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
Leanne says
Mmmm! Yum! I’ll have to find some gluten free shells to try this. It looks delicious!
Amy says
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