Italian stuffed shells are a great prep-ahead meal for busy weeknights. This is my twist on stuffed shells florentine. Check out my trick on how to easily stuff the lasagna shells with minimal mess.
We love Lasagna in our house but I make this twist on the recipe using large pasta shells to create lasagna stuffed shells. This recipe has ground beef, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese stuffed into large pasta shells nestled in your favorite tomato sauce. But you are welcome to switch up this recipe to fit your favorite flavors.
Here is why this recipe works:
- A great make ahead meal for those busy weeknights when you are having to shuffle kids to and from activities.
- Switch out the ground beef for bulk Italian suasage for another layer of Italian flavors.
- My go-to recipe to make when I am taking a meal to a family who just had a baby.
Serve your family my apple dump cake recipe for dessert, there are only 4 ingredients, or a mason jar with sous vide oreo cheesecake inside! Dessert is so good when it is easy.
📝 Notes on the ingredients
- Large shells - cooked 1 minute less than recommended and cooled to handle
- Ground beef- cooked and fat drained off. I use 85/15 mix.
- Spinach - frozen. Thawed and excess water squeezed out. Let the freezer section take one step out of your meal prep.
- Cottage cheese - large curd. Look for it in the refridgerated dairy section. The Large curds DO make a difference.
- Parmesan cheese - freshly grated if you have it. If not, no big deal.
How to make stuffed lasagna shells:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook large pasta shells according to package directions.
- Drain and cool the pasta shells.
- While the noodles are cooking, defrost the spinach and press out the excess moisture. (see note below)
- Combine ricotta cheese, large curd cottage cheese, ½ the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and egg together in a large bowl.
- Add the cooked ground beef and drained chopped frozen spinach. Stir to combine.
- Fill a pastry bag, without a tip, and pipe the filling into each shell.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, spread one jar of your favorite pasta sauce.
- Place the filled shells on the sauce.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, cover with foil.
- Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes, removing the foil the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.
🗒️ Frequently asked questions and tips:
For me, the best way to fill stuffed shells is using a pastry bag without a tip! You might try a gallon zip-top bag, if you don't have a pastry bag, but I have always had bad luck with them busting open at the seam. It is probably just me. I know lots of people who have great luck using them.
Microwave the frozen spinach until it is no longer frozen. Place the thawed spinach in a mesh strainer or a colander and using paper towels, press out the excess water. Discard the water.
Italian Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box large shells cooked 1 minute less than recommended and cooled to handle
- ½ pound ground beef cooked
- 1 box frozen chopped spinach. Thawed and excess water squeezed out
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. Large curd cottage cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese Freshly grated if you have it. If not, no big deal.
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 24 oz. jar pasta sauce your choice!
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook large pasta shells according to package directions.
- Drain and cool the pasta shells.
- Combine ricotta cheese, large curd cottage cheese, Mozzerella cheese, parmesan cheese and egg together in a large bowl.
- Add cooked ground beef and drained, chopped frozen spinach. Stir to combine.
- Fill pastry bag, with out a tip, and pipe the filling into each shell.
- In a 9x13, spread one jar of your favorite pasta sauce.
- Place the filled shells on the sauce.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, cover with foil.
- Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes, removing the foil the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
originally post march 18, 2016.
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