Ultimate Stuffed Shells

Ultimate Stuffed Shells

Easy Oven Baked Stuffed Shells Cheesy Goodness is a go-to for a great dinner. Stuffed shells are one of the easiest traditional Italian dishes to make. The ingredients are pantry and fridge basics plus this Ultimate Oven Baked Stuffed Shells is Make Ahead Recipe friendly. Topped off with Extra Cheesy Goodness is always a hit! Let me show you how simple this dish comes together.

 

Ultimate Oven Baked Stuffed Shells

Yields about 30 shells

 

1 box Pasta Shells

2 lb Ricotta Cheese

2 Eggs

½ cup Parsley, chopped (reserve 2 Tablespoons for garnish)

1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated (reserve 1/3 cup for topping)

2 cups Mozzarella, shredded (reserve 1 cup for topping)

2 -15 oz cans of Tomato sauce of choice

1 teaspoon Each of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, and Salt

½ teaspoon Pepper, ground

 

Equipment: #24 scoop (about 2 Tablespoons)

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

  1. To cook shells: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add Salt and Pasta Shells. Stir a couple times and place a lid on the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit on the stove for about 8-10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside until ready to use.
  2. Prepare the filling: In a bowl, mix Ricotta, Egg, Parsley, Parmesan Cheese, Salt, and Pepper. Mix by hand until a creamy consistency is reached.  Add 1 cup of Mozzarella and mix by hand and mix to evenly incorporate. Set aside until ready to use.
  3. Prepare sauce: To the Tomato sauce, add garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper. Mix to evenly combine. Set aside until ready to use.
  4. Prepare Stuffed Shells: Line a baking pan with a layer of tomato Sauce.
  5. Using a scoop, fill each of the shells with the ricotta mixture. Place each shell open side up. Continue until all the shells are filled.
  6. Once all the shells are filled, add the desired amount of tomato sauce on top of each shell. At this point, you can freeze the shells for another meal.
  7. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Remove the foil and add the desired amount of Mozzarella on top and continue to bake until the cheese is melted. This should take about 5 minutes.
  8. Allow the stuffed shells to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and fresh chopped Parsley.

Pairs perfectly with Garlic Bread!