Beef-Stuffed Shells with Creamy Ricotta Filling
This hearty dish combines jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy ricotta mixture and topped with a savory beef marinara sauce, making it the perfect comfort food for dinner. Topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan, these beef-stuffed shells are sure to satisfy
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside to cool. - Cook the Ground Beef:
In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain any excess fat, then mix in the marinara sauce. Remove from heat. - Prepare the Ricotta Filling:
In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. - Stuff the Pasta Shells:
Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture and place the shells in a baking dish. - Top with Beef Sauce:
Spoon the beef and marinara sauce mixture over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. - Bake:
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for the beef for a lighter version.
- For extra flavor, add chopped fresh basil or parsley as a garnish before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 shells
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 60mg