If you are searching for a delectable and impressive dish to serve at your next dinner party, look no further than ricotta stuffed shells with pesto. This classic Italian dish combines the flavors of creamy ricotta cheese, nutty pesto, and tender pasta shells to create a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. With a little preparation and attention to detail, you can easily master this culinary delight in your own kitchen. Whether you are a seasoned home cook or a novice in the culinary arts, this step-by-step guide will provide you with the knowledge and techniques needed to craft this delectable dish that is sure to leave your guests wanting more.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
RICOTTA-STUFFED SHELLS WITH PESTO
Classic stuffed and baked Italian-American jumbo shells are an easy sell. This summery version dispenses with the tomato sauce: The shells are instead drizzled lightly with olive oil, dusted with grated pecorino and bread crumbs, baked briefly until nicely browned, then napped with a bright green garlicky pesto sauce. The effect is more akin to crispy ravioli than a juicy, long-baked casserole. Serve 2 or 3 shells as a first course, 5 to 6 for a main.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories casseroles, pastas, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Put a large pot of well-salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta shells, put the lid on the pot to help water return to a boil, then remove lid, stir pasta and continue cooking, uncovered until al dente, usually abut 10 minutes. (It's better to err on the undercooked side than risk flabby pasta, so check early and often.)
- Remove pasta from pot and cool in a large bowl of water. Drain well and spread cooked shells on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel.
- Meanwhile, make the ricotta filling: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, scallions, parsley, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and crushed red pepper to taste. Add grated Parmesan and pecorino. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish (use 2 dishes if necessary). Using a spoon or pastry bag, put about 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange the filled shells in one layer in the baking dish, packed closely together. Drizzle surface lightly with olive oil, or use a small brush to lightly paint each shell.
- Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup pecorino and bread crumbs and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until heated through, crisp and golden brown.
- To make the pesto, pulse basil, parsley, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor until roughly chopped. Add oil slowly and blend well. Add a little pepper, taste and adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl.
- To serve, drizzle shells with a little pesto sauce and pass the rest at the table.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 706, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 53 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 524 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CREAMY PESTO-STUFFED SHELLS
You can't go wrong with Parm, ricotta and mozzarella. And when you add creamy PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese to the mix, these stuffed shells are so, so right.
Provided by My Food and Family
Categories Home
Time 1h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350ºF.
- Cook pasta shells as directed on package, omitting salt.
- Meanwhile, brown beef with onions in large skillet; drain. Remove from heat. Mix cream cheese spread, 2 Tbsp. milk and pesto until blended; stir 3/4 cup into meat. Add ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan; mix well.
- Drain shells; stuff with meat mixture. Spread 1 cup sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with shells and remaining sauce. Cover.
- Bake 25 min. Mix remaining cream cheese mixture and milk; drizzle over shells. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 540, Fat 28 g, SaturatedFat 14 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 105 mg, Sodium 860 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 35 g
STUFFED SHELLS III
This recipe is a hit wherever you go. It is a very rich and cheesy meal and looks like a deep-dish pizza when done. I altered what I was originally given because I did not like cottage cheese and added other ingredients that I thought it deserved.
Provided by Renee
Categories Main Dish Recipes Stuffed Main Dish Recipes
Time 1h30m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until well combined. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, stir together pasta sauce, mushrooms and reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Pour over stuffed shells.
- Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 549.7 calories, Carbohydrate 43.7 g, Cholesterol 115.6 mg, Fat 24.5 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 37.7 g, SaturatedFat 13.9 g, Sodium 1544.2 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS
My version of cheesy stuffed shells. I read a few recipes online, (www.cooks.com as well as recipezaar.com) then used a "frankenstein" technique to make them just like my mom does. I made my sauce kinda plain, I'm pregnant and not much for chunky stuff right now. When I'm not so picky, I will add zucchini and chunky stewed tomato. It fed 4 hungry adults and a two year old with about one portion of left overs so I would say it could comfortably feed five adults. As a side note, the sauce is a really great marinara, I have used it for meatball subs too!
Provided by Faitherbee
Categories Pasta Shells
Time 1h30m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- For Shells: Boil according to directions on the box. Drain, rinse with cold water. Set them aside.
- For Sauce: Simmer the onion and garlic together in olive oil. When they are golden, add in the tomato and then spices. Cook for 15 minutes.
- For Filling: Add all filling ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
- Pour half your sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Stuff your closed, undamaged noodles and arrange them in one layer over the pan, opening side down. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of your noodles, then sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 646.4, Fat 24.5, SaturatedFat 10.8, Cholesterol 108.1, Sodium 860.1, Carbohydrate 78.2, Fiber 4.6, Sugar 9.2, Protein 28.5
Tips:
- For the best results, use fresh ricotta cheese. If you can't find fresh ricotta, you can use whole milk ricotta, but drain it well before using.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can mash the ricotta cheese with a fork until it is smooth.
- To make the pesto, you can use a food processor or a blender. If you're using a blender, be sure to blend the ingredients until they are very smooth.
- If you don't have basil on hand, you can use another herb, such as parsley or cilantro.
- If you're short on time, you can use store-bought pesto instead of making your own.
- To prevent the shells from sticking together, be sure to cook them in a large pot of boiling water. You can also add a little salt to the water.
- Once the shells are cooked, drain them well and rinse them with cold water.
- To prevent the shells from drying out, stuff them with the ricotta cheese mixture and pesto as soon as they are cooked.
- You can bake the stuffed shells immediately, or you can cover them and refrigerate them for later.
- If you're baking the stuffed shells later, be sure to preheat the oven to the correct temperature before you start cooking them.
Conclusion:
Ricotta-stuffed shells with pesto is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. With a few simple ingredients, you can create a meal that is sure to impress your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a new recipe to try, give ricotta-stuffed shells with pesto a try. You won't be disappointed!
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