Creamy Beef Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Tender pasta shells filled with beef and ricotta, baked in creamy tomato sauce with melted cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
→ Beef Filling
02 - 1 lb ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Ricotta Filling
08 - 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Sauce
13 - 2 cups marinara sauce
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
→ Topping
15 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
16 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
# Step-by-step:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and arrange on a clean surface to cool slightly.
03 - Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart with a spatula. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Season with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
04 - Combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated. Gently fold in the cooled beef mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Whisk together marinara sauce and heavy cream in a separate bowl until smooth. Spread half of the sauce mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
06 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the beef-ricotta filling. Place filled shells open-side up in the baking dish, arranging them in a single layer.
07 - Pour the remaining sauce mixture over the stuffed shells, ensuring even coverage. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
08 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
09 - Remove foil and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef and ricotta filling creates this incredible contrast between hearty and light that nobody can quite place but everyone loves
- You can assemble everything hours ahead and just bake when people arrive, which saves you that frantic kitchen energy
02 -
- Overcooking the shells before stuffing is the number one mistake people make, so trust me when I say undercook them slightly
- Letting the beef cool before mixing with ricotta prevents the cheese from separating and getting grainy
03 -
- Use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the filling into shells if you want them to look extra neat
- Let the dish rest for the full 5 minutes or the filling will ooze out when you cut into it