Stuffed Shells with Meat
With a rich ricotta and mozzarella cheese filling, savory ground beef, and a bright tomato sauce, these stuffed shells with meat are the ultimate comfort food—and they freeze beautifully.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Shells:
- 30 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups 2% cottage cheese large curd
- 1 ½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese shredded and divided [1 cup is for the topping]
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped & packed into the measuring cup
- ¾ pound ground beef I used 96% lean
For the Quick Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cups yellow onions chopped [More if you wish. I used almost a full cup]
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes crushed or whole and you can crush them in the pan
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions, reducing the cooking time by 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef fully. Transfer to a paper towel–lined bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onions until softened, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer until ready to use.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine ricotta and cottage cheese until smooth.
- Stir in ½ cup mozzarella, Parmesan, herbs, and cooked beef. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Fill each shell and arrange snugly in the baking dish.
- Top with sauce and remaining mozzarella. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover until bubbly and melted.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Flavor Tips: Fresh herbs and freshly grated cheese make a noticeable difference.
- Technique: Cook a few extra shells in case some tear.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 387mg | Iron: 3mg