Classic Stuffed Shells
Classic Ricotta Stuffed Shells made with flavorful three cheese ricotta filling and homemade marinara sauce. This stuffed shells recipe is extra cheesy and made with fresh herbs and garlic flavors. The whole dish will take about 45 minutes to prepare but the shells can also be stuffed ahead of time.
Author: Willcookforsmiles/Photo credit to willcookforsmiles.com
Ingredients
- 3 cup marinara sauce
- Pasta:
- 8 oz jumbo shells 18 shells but throw in a few extras
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Ricotta filling:
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
- ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp minced parsley fresh or dry
- 1 tbsp minced basil fresh or dry
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- Topping:
- Mozzarella cheese
- dry oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Pasta:
- TIP: season water that pasta is cooked in to infuse it with more flavor.
- TIP: this recipe makes about 18 stuffed shells but cook 2-3 extra shells just in case some rip and break apart.
- Cook jumbo shells pasta according to the package instructions until they are al dente. You want the shells to be just slightly under-cooked because they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Once cooked, strain, and set aside to cool down enough to be handled.
- Ricotta filling:
- While pasta is cooking, mix the filling.
- Combine ricotta cheese, egg, herbs, pressed garlic, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix everything well, until all ingredients are evenly incorporated throughout. (Set aside about ⅓ cup of shredded Mozzarella for topping.)
- Baking:
- Spread about 3 cups of marinara sauce over the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Fill each shell with about 1.5-2 tablespoons of ricotta filling and place it in the pan.
- TIP: I don’t like to place shells seam down because the filling often leaks out of the shells, so place shells in the pan seam up.
- Sprinkle some Mozzarella cheese and oregano over each shell and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
