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italian stuffed shells in a dish with spoon

Stuffed Shells Recipe with Meat

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 446kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
Jumbo shells are stuffed to the brim with a cheesy filling, covered with a meat sauce, and topped with lots of cheese. Every bite is a dream!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch (3-quart) baking pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
  • Bring a pot of water on the stovetop to a boil. Cook the pasta shells to al dente according to the package, about 8-9 minutes. After cooking the pasta shells, drain and place them upside down on a baking sheet to dry.
    20 dry jumbo pasta shells
    cooked pasta shells on a baking sheet
  • In a large skillet, brown the beef on medium heat until cooked through and no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the rendered fat.
    1 pound ground chuck
    ground beef in a skillet with a hand holding a wooden spoon
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. In the same skillet with the beef, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 1 clove garlic
    ground beef, onion, and garlic cooking in a skillet with a hand holding a wooden spoon
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the marinara sauce. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    26 ounces marinara sauce
    pouring marinara sauce into saucepan with ground beef, onions, and garlic
  • In a medium bowl, mix the egg, cottage cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese together.
    1 large egg, 2 cups small curd cottage cheese, 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    hands mixing cheese filling in a glass bowl for stuffed shells
  • Pour about three-quarters of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
    meat marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish
  • Stuff the shells with 1 rounded tablespoon of cheese mixture and arrange them on top of the meat sauce, open-side up. Spoon the remaining meat sauce in-between the shells but not directly on top of the shells.
    pasta shells stuffed with cheese filling on top of marinara sauce in a baking dish
  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the shells. Bake 5-7 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted.
    hands covering baking dish with aluminum foil
  • Garnish with fresh basil and serve!
    Chopped fresh basil leaves
    hand scooping a baked stuffed pasta shell out of baking pan

Video

Notes

  • Keep an eye on the pasta shells so they don’t overcook. After boiling, set them upside down on a baking sheet to dry.
Storage: Store stuffed shells with meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 777IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 3mg