Cheese-Stuffed Baked Pasta Shells
Submitted by vaptap
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, and egg, baked in a homemade basil tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella. Classic Italian comfort food.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsStuffed pasta shells are one of those Italian dishes that look impressive on the table but are mostly assembly work. Jumbo shells get boiled al dente, filled with a ricotta-Parmesan-egg mixture, lined up in a baking dish, blanketed with a simple tomato-basil sauce, and baked until bubbly with melted mozzarella on top.
The filling is straightforward: part-skim ricotta for creaminess, grated Parmesan for salty punch, and one egg to bind it all so the filling holds its shape inside the shell instead of running out during baking. No spinach, no meat. Just clean, cheesy flavor that lets the basil sauce do its work.
The sauce comes together while the pasta boils. Onion and garlic browned in olive oil, tomato sauce, fresh basil, and pepper simmered for 10 minutes. It’s thin enough to pour over the shells and seep into every opening, but thickens during the 25-minute bake into a rich coating.
Kitchen Tips
- Rinse the cooked shells under cold water immediately. This stops the cooking and makes them firm enough to handle and stuff.
- Cook a few extra shells. Some always tear during boiling or handling, and you’ll want backups.
- Use a small spoon or piping bag to fill the shells. Overstuffing causes them to split open in the oven.
- Add the mozzarella in the last 5 minutes of baking for a golden, bubbly top without burning.
Variations
- Use the built-in spicy variation: swap half the mozzarella for shredded jalapeno jack cheese and add ½ teaspoon cumin to the sauce.
- Stir chopped spinach or sauteed mushrooms into the ricotta filling for a heartier version.
- Add crumbled Italian sausage to the tomato sauce for a meaty twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cold running water, and set aside to drain again.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, Add th onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, half of the basil, and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg; Dividing evenly, stuff each of the shells with the ricotta mixture.
Place the shells in a shallow 11 by 7 inch baking dish . Pour the tomato sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.
While the dish is still hot, sprinkle it with the mozzarella and let it stand to melt the cheese.
For a spicy variation, substitute shredded jalapeno jack cheese for half of the mozzarella and add ½ teaspoon ground cumin to the sauce.
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