Stuffed Shells Recipe with Meat and Ricotta
Stuffed Shells with Meat - this stuffed shells with meat recipe is a delicious, family-friendly weeknight dinner that so easy and SO GOOD!
Ingredients
Ricotta:
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese or dairy-free option
- 1/4 cup chopped spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Other:
- 12 oz box jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine Ricotta Mixture ingredients in a medium bowl; stir to combine and set aside.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and toss with a little olive oil if they might sit out for a bit while you prepare the sauce - this will help prevent them from sticking and drying out.
- Meanwhile, bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add garlic and move around pan until it becomes fragrant, approx. 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef and move around pan until it is fully cooked; drain excess grease.
- Add onion, fresh basil, salt, pepper and marinara sauce. Stir to combine.
- Taste and add any additional salt, as desired.
- Add approx. 1/2 the meat sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- One by one, take a shell and fill it with the ricotta mixture. Place in the pan and repeat until the ricotta mixture is all used up.
- Cover the shells with the remaining meat sauce and then top with the shredded cheese.
- Cover pan with foil and place in the oven, middle rack, for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and return to oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Let cool slightly and then serve. Feel free to top with additional fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Dairy-Free: To make this dish dairy-free, use dairy-free cheese options throughout.
- Gluten-Free: To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta shells.
- Storage: Once cooled completely, store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Spice it up: For those with a brave palette, feel free to throw in some red pepper flakes over the top or sprinkle in some cayenne pepper to the marinara sauce.
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