Classic Baked Stuffed Shells

Name: Classic Baked Stuffed Shells Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 20 jumbo pasta shells; 15 oz ricotta cheese; 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (divided); 1/2 cup parmesan (optional); 1 whole egg (beaten); 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried parsley; 28 oz marinara sauce

TL; DR Summary - Stuffed Shells

👩🏼‍🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner

⏱️ Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

📖 Dietary Info: Gluten, dairy, egg

😋 Taste: Cheesy, salty, savory

💖 Why You'll Love: This is the baked pasta dish that keeps giving, and also lends itself to a variety of add-ins and adjustments as needed. Great for meal prep, and great for the freezer.

🍽️ Best Served With: A yummy side of sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic, herby toasted garlic bread, and finish the meal with chewy and soft tiramisu cookies for dessert.

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Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

Remember to cook the pasta just to al dente so that the shells don't fall apart when baking.

Piping the filling is a whole lot easier than using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. I highly recommend using a large ziplock bag and snipping the bottom to "pipe" the filling into each shell.

Don't forget to use the seasonings in the filling, this gives incredible flavor and extra color too.

The Main Ingredients

ingredients to make classic stuffed shells

Jumbo Shells Pasta - these are, for obvious reasons, a must for this dish. Such a fun pasta shape!

Ricotta Cheese - we need to use ricotta here, it's a classic ingredient in stuffed shells and mixes with other cheese like mozzarella to form the filling.

Mozzarella Cheese - mozzarella cheese goes on top of the stuffed shells and also goes inside the filling.

Marinara Sauce - I used 32oz for the base of the shells, and it was just a little too much, so if you can find 28oz can that will work well. Try and keep the marinara simple with as little ingredients as possible.

Parmesan - while I did not include this in the picture above, this is a great ingredient to incorporate for more sharp, cheesy flavor.

Egg - the beaten egg helps to bind all of the other ingredients together for the filling.

Dried Spices - I like to use a blend of dried oregano and dried parsley for flavor within the filling.

Stuffed Shells Swaps and Substitutions

Shells - If you need to make this gluten free, here's a link to a few gluten free options for shells.

Ricotta - you can find a dairy-free ricotta or a dairy-alternative to sub the ricotta.

Mozzarella - similar to the ricotta, swap the whole milk shredded mozzarella with a dairy-free version from Miyokos or your favorite brand. Just make sure the cheese melts well.

How to make baked stuffed shells

ricotta cheese with seasoning, egg, mozzarella in a bowl

Step 1: In a large bowl, pour in the cheeses, egg, and spices.

a ricotta mixture with seasoning, egg, mozzarella in a bowl

Step 2: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and beaten egg using a spatula until smooth.

Step 3: Scoop the mixture into a large ziplock bag, then snip the bottom of the bag.

Step 4: Meanwhile, Boil the shells to al dente, strain then set aside to cool for 2 minutes. Add marinara to the bottom of a large casserole dish.

stuffed shells pre baked in a casserole dish over marinara sauce

Step 5: Pipe the filling into each of the shells, enough to just spill out at the sides. Place the shells in a baking dish, repeat until all shells have been filled, 20 in total.

mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top of stuffed shells in a casserole dish before baking.

Step 6: Top the shells with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil 375º for 25 minutes then uncover for broil: to brown the cheese 3-4 minutes.

Mistakes I've Made (to avoid!)

Do NOT over cook the shells. They will also continue to cook as they are baked so be sure to remove them from the water (or strain) when the timer is up.

In my first recipe test, I did not add enough filling to the shells. This was a bummer because stuffed shells need to be... stuffed.

Similar to my ground turkey sloppy joe sliders, remember to cover the shells before baking so that the baked pasta does not burn. That will be sad.

Baked Stuffed Shells FAQs

What's the best way to store leftover stuffed shells?

Place any leftover shells in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 4 days.

Is this baked pasta dish freezer friendly?

Wrap the casserole dish and place in the freezer. Label the date in which it was made and consume within two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or you can bake from frozen: preheat oven to 400º and bake for 35-40 minutes.

How do I reheat these shells?

If you have leftovers, you can use the microwave on 50% power or reheat in the oven for 15 minutes at 300º

Can I add anything to the stuffed shells mixture?

Yes! I love throwing in ground beef, ground sausage, my homemade nut free pesto, or even using a little homemade vodka sauce to give it even more fun flavor.