Stuffed shells are a classic Italian-American baked pasta dish where jumbo pasta shells are cooked al dente, filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, then nestled into a marinara sauce base in a 9×13 casserole dish, topped with more sauce and cheese, and baked at 375°F until golden and bubbly.
Stuffed shells are like an Italian-American classic that so many of us absolutely love. But I have to tell you, if you make them at home, there is almost no way they cannot be amazing. Stuffed shells are a symphony of cheeses and flavor cradled in beautiful jumbo shells and bathed in an amazing marinara sauce.
I am going to tell you how to make an easy weeknight meal by using a wonderful marinara sauce, but if you want to go all out, you can absolutely make the marinara from scratch!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Stuffed Shells Recipe
- It is a Symphony of Cheeses: We are talking fresh ricotta, gooey mozzarella, and nutty Parmesan all coming together. Ricotta does not get its due! It is so mild, creamy, and just an amazing vehicle for flavor.
- Incredibly Forgiving: Want to add more garlic powder? Go for it! Love parsley? Double it! You really do not have to be exact with this recipe.
- The Ultimate Make-Ahead Meal: You can assemble this entire dish in an aluminum pan, pop it in the freezer, and bake it from frozen on a busy weeknight.
If you love baked pasta dinners like this one, you are also going to want to check out our Baked Feta Pasta with Roasted Vegetables, another incredible pasta bake that is equally easy and equally satisfying on a weeknight.
What You Will Need
Special Equipment
- Large pasta pot
- Colander
- 9×13 inch baking dish or casserole dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Aluminum foil
For the Pasta and Base
- 24 jumbo pasta shells (boil a few extra in case of breakage!)
- 3 cups (24 oz) marinara sauce, divided
- 3 quarts water, plus a generous handful of salt for boiling
For the Cheese Filling
- 15 oz (425g) ricotta cheese (whole milk preferred)
- 2 cups (225g) mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided into 1 cup for filling, 1 cup for topping)
- ¾ cup (90g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (divided into ½ cup for filling, ¼ cup for topping)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided into 2 tbsp for filling, rest for garnish)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Zest of ½ lemon (optional, to brighten the flavors)
Let us Get Cooking
1. Getting the Pasta Party Started
First off, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a big pot. These shells are giant, so you need a lot of space! Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) while you wait.
Salt your water very well. It infuses the pasta with so much flavor! You only need 24 shells for this recipe, but make a few extra because some will tear. Boil uncovered for about 10 minutes. They should be on the al dente side because they will continue baking in the oven.
Food safety note: Eggs in the ricotta filling must fully cook through during baking. The oven temperature of 375°F and a total bake time of 35 minutes ensures the filling reaches a safe internal temperature. Do not skip the baking step.
2. Drain and Cool
When you drain them into a colander, you could run them under cold water if you are in a hurry so your hands do not get burnt. But honestly, I really think the pasta is less likely to absorb a lot of the delicious flavors from the sauce if you rinse them. I just let them sit for about 5 seconds so they are not quite so hot, and then stuff them up.
3. Make the Filling
While the pasta boils, add the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, ½ cup of Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and the egg into a large mixing bowl. Give it a really good mix until fully combined.
4. Prepping the Bed of Deliciousness
A lot of the times when you see stuffed shells photographed, they are just sitting there lightly dressed with sauce and cheese on top. That is not realistic! In reality, you want this in a bath of cheese and sauce. Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce into the bottom of your 9×13 casserole dish to create a nice, even bed of deliciousness for the shells to cook in.
5. Stuff the Shells
Gently open each slightly cooled pasta shell and fill it generously with that beautiful, bright, lemon-zested ricotta mixture. Place the stuffed shells open side up directly into the marinara sauce. Use the nice intact shells so they really hold the cheese well!
6. Top with Sauce and Cheese
Spoon the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the stuffed shells to dazzle them with sauce. Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the reserved ¼ cup of Parmesan over the top. It is snowing cheese and I love it!
7. Bake
Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Garnish and Serve
Once it bakes up, the ricotta and all the other cheeses make it so comforting but still light. Let the dish cool down just a bit to set. Sprinkle with the reserved fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy! It has a kiss of herbs and all the acid from that marinara cradled in beautiful pasta shells.
If you love the cheesy, melted, baked pasta experience, our Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese is another crowd-pleasing pasta bake that belongs in your regular dinner rotation.
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FAQs
Do you have to cook the pasta shells before stuffing them?
Yes! You definitely need to boil those jumbo shells first so you can physically open and stuff them. But here is the trick: undercook them slightly so they are on the very firm, al dente side. Pull them about 1 to 2 minutes less than the box says. They are going to finish cooking and absorb all that beautiful moisture from the marinara sauce while they bake in the oven.
Why do you put an egg in the ricotta cheese filling?
The egg is our binder! Ricotta cheese is super creamy, but it is naturally a little watery and melts easily. If you bake these shells without an egg, the ricotta will just liquefy and run right out of the pasta into your sauce. The egg cooks and solidifies perfectly, making sure your cheese filling stays cohesive and securely inside those pasta pockets!
Can I freeze stuffed shells, and should I freeze them before or after baking?
Stuffed shells freeze beautifully, making them the ultimate make-ahead meal! For the absolute best results, freeze them before baking. Assemble the whole thing in a freezer-safe and oven-safe dish. I highly recommend a disposable aluminum pan to avoid thermal shock! Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil. When you are ready for dinner, you can bake them straight from frozen. Just add about 15 to 20 extra minutes to your bake time!
How do I keep my stuffed shells from getting soggy?
Nobody wants a mushy pasta shell! To keep them perfectly textured, do not overcook your pasta during the boiling stage. Pull them off the heat early. Also, if you go rogue and add fun extras like spinach to your ricotta filling, make sure you squeeze out as much excess water from that spinach as humanly possible. Watery ingredients are the enemy of a perfectly textured stuffed shell!
What goes well with stuffed shells?
Because stuffed shells are rich, cheesy, and hearty, you want to pair them with something light and crisp. A simple green garden salad with a zesty Italian vinaigrette, some roasted broccoli, or green beans are perfect side dishes. And of course, you can never go wrong with warm garlic bread to soak up any extra marinara sauce!
Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe with Ricotta and Mozzarella (Easy Baked Pasta!)
Course: Main CourseCuisine: Italian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes35
minutes450
kcal55
minutesA cozy Italian-American comfort food classic! Giant pasta shells stuffed with a creamy, bright symphony of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, all baked in a delicious bath of marinara sauce.
Ingredients
- Equipment Needed:
Large pasta pot
Colander
9×13 inch baking dish
Large mixing bowl
Aluminum foil
- Ingredients:
24 jumbo pasta shells (boil a few extra just in case)
3 cups (24 oz) marinara sauce, divided
15 oz (425g) ricotta cheese
2 cups (225g) mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
3/4 cup (90g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided
1 large egg
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt (plus extra for boiling pasta)
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- Add the jumbo shells and boil uncovered for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain into a colander and let them sit briefly so they are cool enough to handle.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and the egg. Mix well.
- Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce in an even layer across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Generously stuff each cooked shell with the ricotta mixture and place them in the baking dish, open side up, on top of the sauce.
- Spoon the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until bubbly.
- Let cool slightly, garnish with the remaining fresh parsley, and serve!
Notes
- Make Ahead and Freezing: To make these way in advance, assemble the dish in an aluminum baking pan and freeze before baking. Cover really well with plastic wrap and foil. You can bake straight from frozen, just add about 15 to 20 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Watch Your Dishware: If you are freezing this, do not use a ceramic container! The thermal shock from freezer to hot oven could cause the ceramic to crack.
- Pasta Tip: Try not to rinse your pasta under cold water if you can help it! Skipping the rinse helps the pasta absorb all those delicious flavors from the sauce.
- Cheese Swaps: You can absolutely swap the Parmesan for Pecorino Romano or any nice, hard, nutty cheese that you enjoy.
- Food Safety: The egg in the ricotta filling is fully cooked during the 35-minute bake at 375 degrees F. Do not reduce baking time significantly.
