Craving a hearty and delectable dish that combines the comfort of pasta with the richness of meat sauce? Look no further than stuffed shells with meat sauce, a classic Italian dish that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you feeling satisfied. This article will guide you through the steps to create this culinary masterpiece, from selecting the perfect pasta shells to choosing the right meat and crafting a flavorful sauce. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting out in the kitchen, we'll provide you with all the tips and tricks to make stuffed shells with meat sauce that will impress your family and friends.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
EASY BEEF-STUFFED SHELLS
Here's a rich and comforting dish that's terrific right away or made ahead and baked the next day. Pesto makes a surprising filling for these stuffed shells with meat sauce. -Blair Lonergan, Rochelle, Virginia
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h30m
Yield 10 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions to al dente; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups Italian cheese blend, Parmesan cheese, pesto, egg and half of the beef mixture., Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture into pasta shells; place in baking dish. Combine remaining beef mixture and spaghetti sauce; pour over shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes longer.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 405 calories, Fat 22g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 90mg cholesterol, Sodium 730mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
STUFFED SHELLS WITH MEAT SAUCE
Even my "meat-and-potatoes" husband often requests these filling and flavorful shells. Chock-full of veggies and cheese, they make great cold-weather fare.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon oregano and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes., In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt and remaining oregano. Drain pasta shells; cool slightly. Stuff with cheese mixture., Spread 1 cup of meat sauce into each of 2 greased 11x7-in. baking dishes; arrange shells over sauce in a single layer. Pour remaining meat sauce over the shells. Cover and bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 481 calories, Fat 18g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 125mg cholesterol, Sodium 1300mg sodium, Carbohydrate 42g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 36g protein.
JUMBO STUFFED SHELLS IN MEAT SAUCE
Categories Beef Pasta Tomato Bake Casserole/Gratin
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Boil Pasta Shells as per directions on box and cook to al dente. Drain and let it cool until easy to handle. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add beef and saute until brown. Add salt and pepper and oregano. Pour in Ragu sauce then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until heated through. In a big bowl, mix the Ricotta cheese with the egg, mozzarella, parmesan, salt and pepper. Squeeze out all moisture from thawed spinach by wrapping in a paper towel or clean dish towel. Add to ricotta mixture and stir until blended. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta combination and lay flat with open side facing up. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour about 2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Add stuffed shells on top of sauce, still with open side facing upwards. set Spoon the rest of the meat sauce on top. Completely cover top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes.
STUFFED SHELLS WITH ARRABBIATA SAUCE
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 1h5m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Lightly oil a 12 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside.
- Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. You will continue cooking the shells in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool.
- Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.
- In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella.
- Bake in the lower third of your oven until the filling is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
STUFFED SHELLS
Of all the baked pasta dishes, stuffed shells are beloved for good reason: The fluffy ricotta filling, punchy tomato sauce, melted cheese and oversize noodles creates the ultimate comfort food, and the make-ahead aspect is equally compelling. The tomato sauce can be made and refrigerated five days ahead, or you can save time by swapping in three cups of your favorite store-bought marinara sauce. The shells can be assembled a few hours ahead, then baked from the refrigerator an hour before it's time to eat. While some versions add frozen spinach, herbs or lemon, you really don't need anything beyond the basics; this classic version is pure comfort.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, casseroles, pastas, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Make the sauce: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste turns one shade darker, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, season with salt, then bring to a simmer. Cover halfway to reduce splattering, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan and the egg yolks. Grate the garlic directly into the bowl, then season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine, then set aside.
- Add the shells to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. (You'll want to cook the shells about 2 minutes less than the minimum time listed on the package, as the shells will continue to cook in the oven in Step 5.) Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool. Count out 24 shells. (You will have cooked off more shells than will fit in the dish; that's insurance in case any rip. Reserve extras for another use.)
- Stir the pasta water into the sauce, then add half the sauce to a 3-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread it in an even layer. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling into each of the 24 shells, lining up the stuffed shells in the dish as you go. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. (If you'd like to brown the cheese, you can broil for a few minutes.) Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.
MEAT STUFFED JUMBO SHELLS
I found this recipe on the back of the San Giorgio jumbo shells box. I've tried a lot of other stuffed shells recipes but I always come back to this one. My hubby loves it and asks for this as his special birthday meal every year. Enjoy!
Provided by DragonIady
Categories Pasta Shells
Time 1h45m
Yield 36 shells, 10-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
- Cool in single layer on foil or wax paper.
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown meat; drain.
- In large bowl, stir together meat, eggs, bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese (if desired), onion, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons meat filling.
- Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
- Place filled shells in prepared baking dish; cover with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
STUFFED PASTA SHELLS FOR MEAT-LOVERS
These are quite possible the best you can make! I came up with this recipe to satisfy my carnivorous family and incorporate my love for Italian food. These have a ton of meat, but still a nice amount of the traditional ricotta cheese and spinach. These can also be great appetizer, due to the large amount the recipe yields.
Provided by Jessika6958
Categories Pasta Shells
Time 1h20m
Yield 8-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Brown ground beef and drain. Return to pan.Saute onions and garlic in pan with cooked meat for approximately 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Boil salted water to cook the pasta shells according to package al dente style. Strain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix ricotta, parmasan, and 2/3 package of shredded mozzarella. Add italian seasoning, garlic pepper, eggs and milk and mix thoroughly. Mix in meat and spinach.
- In a large baking dish, pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan lightly. Fill each shell with large rounded tablespoons of meat and cheese mixture, and place in pan. Be sure to closely place the shells together so they don't get hard while baking.
- *If there are too many shells for one pan, make a secong and store tightly covered in freezer until later use.
- Pour remaining sauce evenly over all of the shells. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. Take foil off pan, and bake additional 10 minutes.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the stuffed shells will be. Look for fresh, flavorful tomatoes, ground beef, and ricotta cheese.
- Cook the pasta shells al dente: This means that they should be cooked until they are tender but still have a slight bite to them. Overcooked pasta shells will be mushy and difficult to stuff.
- Use a variety of cheeses: A combination of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses gives the stuffed shells a rich, flavorful filling. You can also add other cheeses, such as Asiago or fontina, to taste.
- Make sure the meat sauce is flavorful: The meat sauce is the backbone of this dish, so it's important to make sure it's packed with flavor. Use a variety of herbs and spices, and simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes to develop its flavor.
- Don't overstuff the shells: Overstuffed shells will be difficult to eat and may burst open during baking. Fill the shells just until they are full, but not so full that they're bulging.
- Bake the stuffed shells until they are golden brown and bubbly: This will take about 20 minutes. Serve the stuffed shells immediately, garnished with fresh parsley or basil.
Conclusion:
Stuffed shells are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They're perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make stuffed shells at home. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give stuffed shells a try.
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