Description
Classic Italian stuffed shells filled with a creamy ricotta and cheese blend, baked in marinara sauce for a comforting and delicious dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Shells and Sauce
- 20 jumbo shells
- 3 cups marinara sauce
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
Seasonings
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped) or 2 teaspoons dried
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large garlic clove (pressed)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook Shells: Boil jumbo shells according to package instructions but cook for one minute less than recommended. Drain and allow to cool for several minutes before separating and placing on a baking sheet.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Spoon several spoonfuls of marinara sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, softened cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, parsley, pressed garlic, oregano, sea salt, and ground pepper. Stir until well blended.
- Stuff Shells: Fill each cooked shell with a heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture and arrange them in the prepared baking dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese Topping: Spoon remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Top with the remaining ½ cup shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.
- Cover and Bake: Lightly butter one side of a piece of foil or spray it with cooking spray. Lay the foil butter side down loosely over the dish. Bake covered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Finish Baking: Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts and shells are bubbly.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then serve warm.
Notes
- Cooking shells one minute less than package instructions prevents overcooking when baked.
- Use fresh parsley for a brighter flavor or dried parsley as a convenient alternative.
- Lightly buttering the baking dish and foil helps prevent sticking.
- For extra cheesiness, add more mozzarella on top before baking uncovered.
- This recipe can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell
- Calories: 185 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 345 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
