Description
Delicious stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture, baked in a flavorful marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a comforting family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked to package instructions
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups marinara sauce
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup parsley, plus more to garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375ËšF. Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain once cooked, then fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent the shells from sticking together.
- Make Sauce: In a deep pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté chopped onion for 3-5 minutes until softened and golden. Add minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant. Add marinara sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Make Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Stuff Shells: Using about half an ice cream scoop per shell, fill each cooked pasta shell with the cheese mixture, making sure not to overstuff. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer over the marinara sauce in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Remove the foil and broil the dish for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the cheese topping. Remove from oven and garnish with additional parsley before serving.
Notes
- Be sure not to overfill the shells to prevent the filling from spilling out while baking.
- Let the shells cool slightly before eating to allow the filling to set.
- For extra flavor, you can add chopped spinach or cooked ground meat into the cheese filling.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese for best melting and flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
