Description
Indulge in Beef-Stuffed Shells with Creamy Ricotta Filling, a comforting and savory dish that’s perfect for family dinners. Large pasta shells filled with seasoned beef and creamy ricotta, topped with marinara sauce it’s a dinner everyone will love!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 large pasta shells
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with chopped onion and garlic over medium heat until the beef is browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, dried basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a baking dish, spread 1 cup of marinara sauce.
- Stuff each cooked shell with a generous amount of the beef mixture and place in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Substitute ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Add extra veggies like spinach or mushrooms to the beef mixture for more flavor and nutrition.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ~500 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg