Cheese Stuffed Shells

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.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Author Heather

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 30-35 minutes, or until cheese is melted across the top, casserole is bubbling around the edges, and the casserole has reached an internal temperature of 165F.

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.

Nutrition