Cheese stuffed shells is a classic casserole dinner that the entire family will love. Pasta shells are stuffed with a three-cheese filling, topped with marinara sauce, and baked to perfection in the oven.
Why you'll love this recipe
Flavor: Pasta shells are coated in marinara sauce and stuffed with a creamy garlic-herb cheese filling.
Great for meal prep. Casserole and individual portions freeze well, so it's easy to make ahead for future dinners.
Easy meal train recipe. It's easy to assemble and hearty. A great dinner to drop off to friends in need or for meal trains.
Serve with: Cheesy Garlic Bread or Italian Chopped Salad
Similar to: Lasagna Roll Ups and Beef Stuffed Shells
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Marinara sauce - Use your favorite store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
- Ricotta - The base of the cheese filling.
- Pasta shells - You'll need jumbo shells for this recipe. If you can't find jumbo shells, this recipe would work with manicotti instead (this recipe fills about 10-12 manicotti shells).
- Cheeses - A combination of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses adds melty, salty flavor to the cheese filling. Grate your cheese from a block rather than using packaged, pre-shredded cheeses, which are often coated in anti-clumping powders that add a grainy texture.
- Egg - Binds the cheese filling together.
- Seasoning - Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper add mild, savory flavor to the cheese filling.
- Parsley - Optional parsley garnish adds visual appeal to your finished dish.
How to make stuffed shells
- Pour half of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
- Mix cheese filling in a bowl, then gently fill each shell with cheese mixture. I recommend transferring the filling to a plastic bag and piping it into the shells.
- Top with the remaining sauce and reserved cheese.
- Bake until cheese is melted and filling is bubbling around the edges.
Tips and tricks
Parboil your pasta - Cook your pasta to 1 minute shy of al dente. This allows the pasta to continue soaking up liquid as it bakes, preventing a watery casserole.
Add meat - Want to add meat to your shells? Crumble and cook ground beef, ground turkey, or Italian sausage in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add marinara sauce and mix to combine.
Pipe the cheese filling - Transfer the cheese filling to a large plastic bag, cut off the tip, and pipe it into your shells. This method is much less messy than spooning the filling into each shell by hand.
Storage
Leftover stuffed shells will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave.
Stuffed shells can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as normal. Dairy products tend to get watery when thawed and the texture may change slightly, so keep this in mind when freezing.
Frequently asked questions
Stuffed shells can be served on their own (multiple shells per person) for a complete meal. I also like to serve them with cheesy garlic bread and a garden salad to stretch the servings further.
Cook your shells to 1 minute shy of al dente on the package directions. Pat them dry to remove excess water before filling. Your shells will continue to soak up liquid as they bake, preventing your casserole from getting watery.
It depends on the person, but about four to five shells is a standard serving.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Cheese Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 26 -28 jumbo shells
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- fresh parsley, as a garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a pot of salted boiling water, cook jumbo shells to 1 minute shy of al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until shells are easy to handle.
- To a bowl, add ricotta, 1 ½ cups of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Pour about half of the marinara sauce mixture into your prepared 9x13 dish and spread into an even layer. Set aside.
- Gently fill each shell with ricotta mixture and place in rows in the baking dish. Spoon the cheese in or transfer to a plastic zip top bag and snip off the corner for mess-free piping.
- Pour remaining marinara sauce on top. Sprinkle with reserved mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted across the top and casserole is bubbling around the edges.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Leftovers: Leftover stuffed shells will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Freezing: Freeze casserole whole or portion cooked leftovers into individual serving containers. To thaw, transfer to the freezer to thaw overnight. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave. Whole casserole can be reheated in the oven at 350F for about 15-20 minutes.
- Adding meat: Crumble and cook ground beef in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add marinara sauce and mix to combine. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written above.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!