This ground beef stuffed shells recipe is a hearty meal of flavorful ground beef, tasty tomato sauce, and three cheeses. Stuffed jumbo shells topped with mozzarella are baked to bubbly perfection in just 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
If you have been craving a baked pasta meal, try my Herb and Ricotta Filled Pasta and Italian Sausage and Tortellini Bake next!
Pasta lovers unite! This stuffed shells recipe is one you will want to remember. The whole family will be scooping seconds into large bowls after tasting this!
Jump to:
- Why We Love This Stuffed Shells Recipe:
- Ingredients you need:
- Instructions to make this Stuffed Shells Recipe:
- Alternatives and Variations:
- Pro-Tips:
- Storing and Reheating:
- FAQ:
- More Pasta Recipes to Try
- 📖 Recipe
- Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!
Why We Love This Stuffed Shells Recipe:
A Kid Friendly Meal! My whole family devours these because it is full of all the familiar flavors they love: stuffed pasta shells with cheese and a savory tomato and meat sauce topped with even more cheese!
Quick and Easy! This is a great recipe for a casual weeknight dinner. This is my go-to recipe when I need to whip up a fast meal. And usually, I already have all that I need.
Classic Comfort Food! This stuffed shells recipe has all the makings of a satisfying meal. It is cheesy, saucy and full of carbs!
Ingredients you need:
- Jumbo pasta shells: Boil them according to package instructions.
- Ground beef: Cooked and crumbled.
- Seasoning: I used a blend of seasoned salt (add more to taste), garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
- Spaghetti sauce: Use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own marinara sauce instead.
- Cheese: I used Ricotta cheese for the filling. I prefer full fat but you can use skim to save some calories. Grated parmesan cheese is also added to the shell filling. The dish is topped with shredded mozzarella cheese for a melty, cheesy finish.
- Egg: Use a large egg in order to bind the cheese mixture ingredients.
Instructions to make this Stuffed Shells Recipe:
Cook and Season the Ground Beef
Cook the ground beef until there is no more pink present. Drain out any excess grease from the skillet. Then season the meat with seasoned salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Mix it until it is all thoroughly combined.
Add the pasta sauce directly into the meat mixture and gently stir it until it is fully combined. Set the meat sauce aside and get started on the cheese.
Combine the Cheeses
In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, the grated parmesan, the large egg, and the Italian seasoning.
Assemble the Stuffed Shells
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a cast iron skillet or a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Then pread half of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of the skillet, reserving the remaining sauce for the top.
Use a spoon to add about one tablespoon of the cheese mixture to your jumbo pasta shells. Once the cheese is added, place them in an even layer right over the top of the meat mixture in your skillet or dish.
Continue this process until all of the shells are filled with the cheese. Pour the rest of the meat sauce over the top of the stuffed shells. Then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
Bake the Stuffed Shells
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. Then bake the dish covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, just until the top is bubbly and golden brown. An alternative for this stuffed shells recipe is to broil the stuffed shells for five minutes. Finally, remove the skillet from the oven and serve immediately. Add a sprinkle of fresh parsley or fresh basil, if desired.
Alternatives and Variations:
- Protein: Instead of ground beef, you could use crumbled pork sausage, ground turkey, or chopped chicken. For seafood stuffed shells, you could use shrimp, lump crab or salmon.
- Sauce: If tomato-based dishes aren't your favorite, Alfredo sauce will be tasty alternative.
- Cheese: The best substitute for ricotta is plain cottage cheese. However, I have seen recipes use cream cheese as a replacement. You could also use other melty cheeses to replace the mozzarella. Consider fontina, asiago, gruyère, provolone, or cheddar.
- Vegetables: Make this stuffed shells recipe more wholesome by adding a vegetable. Fresh spinach stuffed shells immediately come to mind but you can use frozen spinach, zucchini, kale, mushroom, squash, or your favorite veggie.
Pro-Tips:
- Do not overcook the shells. When boiling the shells, cook the pasta to al dente as they will continue to cook when baking in the oven. If not, they will be mushy and not hold the filling as well.
- Grate your own cheese because pre-shredded bags are full of preservatives and an anti-caking agent that makes the cheese less melty.
- Use a piping bag for an easier time stuffing the jumbo shells.
- Save time and make the ricotta filling ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Storing and Reheating:
Store leftover stuffed shells in an airtight container and put them in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you microwave, add a splash of cold water in order to retain moisture.
To freeze uncooked stuffed shells, store them in the freezer after assembly. Cover the dish tightly and it will stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake them, add an additional 30 minutes to the cooking time.
FAQ:
Can I make this stuffed shells recipe ahead of time?
Yes. After assembling the ground beef stuffed shells, cover it with foil and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.
Do you have to put egg in stuffed shells?
The egg is not totally necessary but it helps to bind the cheese filling ingredients. Without it, the ricotta mixture would probably ooze out of the shells during the baking process.
What goes with stuffed shells?
Serve stuffed shells with a green salad and garlic bread or Cheesy Garlic Butter Pull Apart Bread.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Easy Homemade Swedish Meatballs
- Creamy Rasta Pasta with Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage
- One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
- Chicken and Bacon Alfredo
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 jumbo Pasta shells boiled according to package instructions
- 1 pound Ground beef cooked and crumbled
- ½ tablespoon Seasoned Salt add more to taste
- ½ tablespoon Garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Black pepper
- 1 jar Spaghetti sauce
- 2 cups Ricotta cheese
- 4 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded and divided to use
- ½ cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef until there is no more pink present. Drain out any excess grease from the skillet. Season the meat with the seasoned salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Mix it until it is all thoroughly combined.
- Add the pasta sauce directly into the meat mixture and gently stir it until it is fully combined. Set the meat sauce aside and get started on the cheese.
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the grated parmesan, the large egg, and the italian seasoning.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a cast iron skillet or a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of the skillet, reserving the other half for the top.
- Use a spoon to add about one tablespoon of the cheese mixture into your jumbo pasta shells. Once the cheese is added, place them in an even layer right over the top of the meat mixture in your skillet or dish.
- Continue this process until all of the shells are filled with the cheese. Pour the rest of the meat sauce over the top of the stuffed shells. Then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven. Bake the dish covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, just until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove the skillet from the oven and serve immediately.
Gina says
Yum
Tasha says
So easy and good