How To Make STUFFED SHELLS | Beef And Cheese Stuffed Shells | Simply Mamá Cooks

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese reduces calories while maintaining creaminess.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Provolone is often less expensive and melts well.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Pecorino is often cheaper and adds a similar flavor.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is often less expensive and flavorful.

Cook 1 pound of lean ground beef in a skillet; season with 1 teaspoon onion salt blend, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings, a pinch of salt, and cracked black pepper; cook until browned and remove from the pan to cool.

Boil water in a large pot; once boiling, add a hefty pinch of salt (between 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon).

Add 25 to 30 uncooked jumbo pasta shells to the boiling water; cook for about 7 to 7.5 minutes until halfway cooked; drain and lay in a single layer on a greased baking sheet to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine 15 ounces of ricotta cheese, cracked black pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon), 1 teaspoon onion salt blend, 1.5 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; mix well.

Grate 1.5 to 2 ounces of parmesan cheese and add to the bowl along with 1 large egg and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese; mix until well combined.

Add around 3/4 of the cooked ground beef into the cheese filling; mix until combined.

Spread 3/4 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish.

Stuff each jumbo pasta shell with about 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of the filling and place in the baking dish; if done correctly, you should get about 20 shells, but sometimes only 16 if overstuffed.

Sprinkle the remaining ground beef on top of the stuffed shells, then cover with the rest of the marinara sauce and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes; then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Let the dish set for about 10 minutes before serving; garnish with fresh parsley.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens