With a rich ricotta and mozzarella cheese filling, savory ground beef, and a bright, fresh tomato sauce, these stuffed shells with meat sauce are a true comfort food. Plus, these easy stuffed shells can be made ahead of time and frozen!
Cook your 30 pasta shells according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes (until they are just under al dente). Pour out the boiling water and fill the pot with cold water. I like to rinse them twice with cold water just to make sure the cooking process has stopped. Drain and set aside.
Brown the ground beef and pour into a paper towel lined bowl, and set aside.
Make your sauce: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Sauté onions, stirring frequently until they begin to release their juices. Add garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent. Be careful not to burn your garlic, reducing heat if necessary.
Add tomatoes to pan and stir to mix. Stir in the basil, thyme, 2 large pinches of kosher salt and 3-4 grinds of black pepper.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce down to a simmer. Simmer over low heat until ready to use. Be sure to taste for salt and pepper.
When you are ready to begin filling your shells, spread a little sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle.
Make the filling: In a large bowl add the ricotta and cottage cheese. Mix well. I used an immersion blender to smooth out the filling a bit, but this is not necessary. You can certainly just blend it with the back of a wooden spoon.
Add the ½ cup mozzarella, Parmesan, cilantro, basil and cooked beef to the ricotta mixture. Stir to evenly distribute all ingredients throughout the filling. Spoon into a gallon plastic baggie and cut a hole in one corner about the size of a nickel.
Holding the filling baggie in one hand, grab a shell in the other and open it with your pointer finger and thumb. Starting at one end, gently squeeze the filling into the shell until it is full. Set in the baking dish with the filling facing up. Continue until all of the shells have been filled and they are nestled in your baking dish. They actually bake better when they are tightly packed.
Spoon some sauce over the top of all the shells. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Flavor Tips - With this recipe, fresh is best. I always use fresh herbs, fresh mozzarella, real Parmesan, and make my own quick marinara sauce. It takes less than 10 minutes and is fresher and more flavorful than store-bought sauce.Technique - I always cook a few extra noodles for this stuffed shells recipe. Some of the shells will inevitably tear when you are filling them, so having extra cooked pasta on hand is very helpful. Storage - Leftover shells with sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You can also freeze stuffed shells. Let all of the components of the dish cool completely, then place the shells in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.