Let me introduce you to the beauty of stuffed shells: Imagine lasagna being turned inside out to form cute pockets stuffed with creamy, garlicky ricotta and cream cheese, which are then slathered in tomato sauce. Sounds dreamy, right? This baked dinner is one you’re going to want to keep in your back pocket, whether it’s for a Friday night dinner or a make-ahead mid-week meal. It’s got the simplicity of a one-pan meal while also adding a little sophistication to your table. I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll fall in love with this recipe that’s as great for a family dinner as it is for date night.
What People Are Saying:
“Hands down amazing! So disappointed in other stuffed shells recipes. This one’s a keeper.” – GuitarMan
“Comfort food at its best. Loved all the herbs in the filling.” – childofthecorn5
How To Make Stuffed Shells
INGREDIENTS
- Jumbo Shells: Like in many other baked pasta recipes, you’re going to want to severely under-cook your shells—we’re talking before al dente. Remember, these will cook in the pot and in the oven, so pulling them earlier is better so they don’t end up falling apart and spilling out any of your cheesy filling.
- Marinara Sauce: We used a batch of our marinara sauce as the base of this dish, but you’re welcome to use your favorite store-bought pasta sauce brand to make things easier. If you go for the former, make sure to follow the instructions for adding additional water to guarantee you have enough sauce for these shells.
- Whole-Milk Ricotta Cheese: For our rich, cheesy shell filling, only full-fat ricotta will do. This soft, creamy cheese will serve as the vehicle for, yes, even more cheese.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds a bit of smoothness to our various cheeses, making these shells even more melty than any ol’ shells recipe. Make sure to use a brick of cream cheese, rather than any tubs of whipped cream cheeses, which won’t melt quite as smoothly.
- Garlic: For our herb-specked cheese filling, grated garlic will transport your shells right to Italy. Way easier than mincing by hand, we highly suggest using a grater or microplane so you can evenly grate your cloves.
- Egg: A key binder to your filling, one egg will do the trick and add a bit of richness, too.
- Pecorino: Not to be confused with its cousin, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese key to dishes like cacio e pepe. It’s got a signature salty-nutty punch flavor that really adds a special something to these shells.
- Mozzarella: Perfect for both melting and browning, mozzarella cheese is the only way to top a platter of stuffed shells. Shredded mozzarella is key here, as it’s low-moisture which will make sure as your shells get golden brown around the edges.
- Chopped Fresh Herbs: For big Italian Pasta Night vibes, opt for a few fresh herbs (savory chives and sweet basil in this case) for topping and mixing in with your filling. It’ll take these shells to the next level.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
After preheating your oven to 375°, fill a large pot with salted water, bring it to a boil, and add shells to cook, stirring occasionally. Allow to cook for 8 minutes, which will result in shells that are very al dente, then drain them in a colander.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix egg yolk, garlic, ricotta, cream cheese, parsley, basil, chives, pepper, 1 c. Pecorino Romano cheese, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt until well combined.
Once you’ve got your mixture ready, spread the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with half of the marinara sauce. Fill a large piping or resealable bag with ricotta mixture, and cut a small hole in the corner. Using your non-dominant hand, hold a shell and pipe in with your dominant hand (alternatively, feel free to fill shells with two spoons). Layer shells on an angle in the prepared pan; it’s okay if a few overlap.
Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining 1/2 c. Pecorino, pushing down around shell crevices to ensure coverage.
Bake stuffed shells until golden brown around the edges, which will take between 30 to 40 minutes. Allow the shells to cool for 10 minutes and then top with basil before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Watch your salt: Salt is salt, but Pecorino or any hard grating cheese used in the filling here is also salt. Make sure you’re comfortable with the seasoning by tasting as you add each ingredient PRIOR to adding the egg.
- Bring your cream cheese to room temperature: This will make your filling way easier to pipe.
- Don’t have a piping bag for filling the shells? No worry—create a makeshift one by snipping the corner off a plastic resealable bag. To prevent spillage, either fill two medium bags or use a rubber band to seal off the end. To fill the shells, hold one shell in your non-dominant hand while applying pressure and piping with your dominant hand. Don’t worry if it’s a little messy—no one will know under all the cheese.
- In the mood for a smoother sauce? While we like our sauce with a little texture, feel free to use an immersion blender to blitz the sauce into a smoother consistency if you like too.
Storage
I can’t imagine you’ll have leftovers, but… when this happens, portion out the shells into individual containers and store in the freezer for lunch at the office, or consolidate into a smaller baking dish that you can pop in the oven to reheat for another dinner. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Another idea is to freeze the filled, unbaked shells on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store for a rainy day in the next 4 months. Just assemble the casserole per the below instructions, making sure to add a bit of extra bake time to account for them being frozen.
