Creamy Beef Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Tender shells filled with savory beef and ricotta, baked in creamy tomato sauce with melted cheese topping.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
→ Beef Filling
02 - 1 pound ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 tablespoons 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 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Boil the jumbo pasta shells in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
04 - Combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and fresh parsley in a large bowl. 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 this mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
06 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the beef-ricotta filling. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer in the baking dish over the sauce.
07 - Pour the remaining creamy marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 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 the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
10 - Let the stuffed shells rest for 5 minutes before serving to set. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beef and ricotta filling stays impossibly moist, thanks to a simple trick with the egg and cheese ratio
- Baked under that creamy tomato sauce, the pasta shells absorb just enough flavor without falling apart
02 -
- Overcooking the shells during boiling makes them split when you try to stuff them, so pull them early and let them finish in the oven
- The filling must cool before mixing with ricotta, otherwise the heat will cook the egg and give you a grainy texture
03 -
- Use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the filling into shells, it's faster and less messy than spoons
- Let the dish rest for the full 5 minutes, otherwise the filling will ooze out when you cut into it