These easy Stuffed Shells are the perfect dinner and a family favorite. Filled with three kinds of cheese and baked in Marinara Sauce, it’s quick to prepare, and leftovers keep and reheat beautifully. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make ricotta-stuffed pasta shells.
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“These are simply the best! I love all your Italian recipes but this is my #1! So easy to make and feeds an army! Also they freeze exceptionally well.” – Laurie ★★★★★
Stuffed Shells Video
My stuffed shells recipe feeds my whole crew with leftovers for later in the week. It’s a great freezer meal for meal prepping and always gets rave reviews when I bring a pan to the neighbors.
I love Pasta recipes from Creamy Shrimp Pasta to Pierogi, and of course, our Homemade Pasta from scratch. If you are a fan of pasta, this Stuffed Shells Recipe is a must-try!
Best Stuffed Shells Recipe
This Stuffed shells recipe makes a casserole similar to Italian Baked Ziti with pasta that looks like seashells and is similar to Manicotti. The pasta shells are stuffed with a ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan filling, making them easy to portion. It’s a delicious, cheesy, warm comfort food everyone loves.
My kids especially love these stuffed jumbo shells, so they always disappear fast. In the off chance we have a few left over, they reheat well, so I put them into their lunchboxes, and those lunchboxes always come home empty.
Stuffed Shells Ingredients
The ingredients for this stuffed shells recipe are similar to those of other Italian comfort food recipes, so you know it will be good.
- Jumbo pasta shells – or “Conchiglioni” in Italian, found in most grocery pasta aisles. You’ll need a 12oz box.
- Aromatics – onions (chopped), garlic cloves (minced), salt, pepper, and dired oregano
- Marinara sauce – Homemade Marinara is best, but you can use canned sauce if needed.
- Cheeses – ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella. To substitute the ricotta in stuffed shells, drain and mash plain cottage cheese and substitute 1:1.
- Egg – to hold the filling together
- Garnish – parsley, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese
How to Make Stuffed Shells
There are 3 main elements to stuffed pasta shells: the pasta, sauce, and cheese filling. Each element takes just minutes but comes together…*chef’s kiss*!
- Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions, al dente (firm to the bite), since they will be baked later. Then drain and refill the pot with cold water to keep the shells from over-cooking and sticking.
- Make the red sauce – Sauté onions in oil, add garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir in 3 cups of your favorite Marinara Sauce. Pour tomato sauce into a 13×9 casserole dish.
- Combine Cheese filling – In a large bowl, mix ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Stuff the shells – spoon a few tablespoons of ricotta filling into each pasta shell, and then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the pasta shells
Pro Tip:
The easiest way to portion is to fill a trigger ice cream scoop halfway with ricotta mixture, and then fill the shell.
- Bake – Cover with foil, and bake at 375˚F for 30 minutes, and then broil uncovered for 2-4 minutes if you want the cheese to brown a bit.
Pro Tip:
Note on glass casserole dishes: Broiling is not recommended with glass bakeware, so once you remove the foil, increase the heat to about 475˚F and bake for 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
What to Serve With Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are the perfect vegetarian main course, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and paired with Garlic Bread and a simple green salad or veggies.
Stuffed shells are a popular vegetarian casserole that feeds your whole crew, and they are also truly easy to make. The prep time is minimal, and then the oven does the rest. Toast up a side of garlic bread for the ultimate Italian comfort dish.
Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked to package instructions
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese*
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup parsley, plus more to garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook shells in salted water according to package instructions (stirring several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the pot), then drain and fill pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep shells from sticking to each other.
- Make the red sauce: In a deep pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté chopped onion until softened and golden (3-5 min). Add minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp oregano. Sauté another 1 minute, stirring constantly until garlic is fragrant. Add 3 cups of marinara and bring to a uniform boil, then simmer for 2 minutes, and pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Combine cheese filling: In a large bowl, add 15 oz ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Stuff the shells: Use about 1/2 ice cream scoop or just until filled (do not overstuff). Place them in the casserole over the marinara sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling at the edges. Remove foil and broil for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley to serve.
Notes
- To Refrigerate: Assemble, cover with foil, and refrigerate unbaked stuffed shells within 2 hours for 1-2 days, then bake as directed, adding 5 minutes to the bake time if baking a chilled casserole. You can also refrigerate a fully cooked and cooled casserole.
- Freezing: Fully assemble shells in a casserole dish (without baking), cover tightly with foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (covered with foil) at 375˚F for about 45-55 minutes.
- Reheating: Warm portions in the microwave or oven until shells are heated through to 165°F and cheese is melted.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Pasta Casseroles
Pasta bakes are the best kind of family-friendly dinner. Each of these recipes makes a big batch, and each reheats really well, making them perfect for meal prep.
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Classic Lasagna
- Chicken Lasagna
- Chicken Orzo Bake
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Baked Mac and Cheese
Do I need to drain the ricotta before using?
Hi Karen, it usually depends on the brand but to eliminate the excess moisture, you may drain it.
Do you think it would work to add some italian sausage to the stuffing?
Hi Kelly, I imagine that will work. I haven’t tried that yet but I think it’s worth experimenting with. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.
Seriously could not fault it! My husband and I have been trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals to our diet and this one is here to stay! God bless you and your family
Oops, I’m sure having this every now and then won’t hurt. God bless you and your family too!
Love watching U! I was already going to make ratouille stuffed shells so will make half your way and then add ratouille to it! Yummy in the tummy.
Sounds great! Please let us know how it goes. I hope you love it!
Could I make this dish the night before and keep it in the fridge to bake the next day?
Hi Sue, yes you can make this recipe ahead. You can check the Make-Ahead portion in the recipe for more info.
Everyone in my entire family loved this recipe!! This is now a family favorite. Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m very happy with your comments and feedback. Thank you so much for sharing, Sue!
Oh. My. Goodness!! The Stuffed Shells is the bomb! The dish was very easy to make, and my kitchen smelled heavenly while baking. I served the Stuffed Shells with some cheesy garlic bread and a salad. I will be making this dish again since I am now making vegetarian dinners to save some money. Thank you so much for sharing Miss Natasha!!
Sounds perfect! I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for your awesome feedback, Shawnae.
Just threw this into the oven and I’m sure it’ll turn out delicious (as always!) I noticed that in the printable version of the recipe it says 375 degrees for the oven temp but in the recipe above it, it says to preheat to 350.. I’m sure it doesn’t make much of a difference but just wanted to let you know 😁
Hi Lidiya, thank you for letting me know. I fixed the typo and 375 is correct. Thank you again!
This sounds so good! I have two big boys at home and I’d like to make these a little more filling. Could I add cooked chicken and cooked broccoli to the ricotta filling? Would I need to add or take away any of the cheeses? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. When I’m stumped for something to make for dinner, I head straight to your website!!
Hi Monica, I think that would work. Please share with us how it goes if you give that a try
I made this tonight for Valentine’s Day dinner at home ❤️😋
So easy and yummy. Natasha, thank you again for another great recipe! I posted my picture on your Facebook comments of this recipe!
Thanks for your great review and for sharing a photo too. I’ll definitely check that out, Stephanie!
Hi Natasha.
My husband and I made the Stuffed Shells and they turned out wonderful great flavor.
Hi Mary, great to hear that you both enjoyed it!
I’m making this tonight! So excited!
Exciting! Please share with us how it goes, Corinne.
They were so good! I love how customizable they are as well. Thank you, Natasha!
Isn’t it great! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Corinne!
What can you substitute parsley for?
Hi Alia, you can try tarragon or basil if you like those better
My family and kids loved this! It will be a staple in my household. Im glad that doesn’t have meat but taste so good! Thank you Natasha! ❤️👍🏽😁
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
I made this for dinner last week. It was delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make it again. I really love your recipes they are easy to make and I love the videos.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
I made this recipe and it is amazing. Except my question is you used 12 jumbo shells. Did you use up all the ricotta cheese mix and the marinara sauce??? My dish fit about 8/9 shells, and I still had so much cheese mix and so much sauce. When I baked my dish the taste was good and I felt the sauce was too much. The left over cheese mix I made another dish with 9 shells, and used sauce and froze it. I still have cheese mixture and still have enough sauce ! I used exactly the same amount ingredients in the list.
Hi Mona, I did use 20 jumbo shells and it was a 13×9 casserole dish. A smaller dish would fit less and it is enough sauce to fill 20 jumbo shells. There should not be any extra after filling 20 of them.
Thank you!! Now I realized my mistake, you have 20 shells listed I somehow read it 12 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ Sorry!!! But it sure is a good dish! I have one frozen for another time
Hi Natasha!! I made this for dinner the other night and to say that my family loved it is an understatement!!! They couldn’t stop raving about it! It’s been a few days and all of us are still talking about it. I’m sure that I will be making it for dinner again very soon!! Thanks so much!
Very nice! So good to know that you and your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
I cooked this recipe yesterday for Sunday supper. My family really enjoyed the meal.
I servered with the shells a salad and garlic bread. In the future, I will add more sauce. I really enjoy watching your videos..
Very nice, Belle. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Serves 6 people but makes 20? 😂 lol who gets the other 2?
The lucky ones. ha ha!! I figured if I can fit 2 more in the casserole dish, why not?
Came back to write a comment after making last night for dinner. This was the best cheesy pasta dish I’ve ever had – at home, or in a restaurant! Better than my favorite lasagna or manicotti. Thank you sincerely for this recipe! Even my picky daughter said “Mom this is so good. You should make this more.”
It is currently 5:00 am and I am up for work. I couldn’t resist two more warmed up for breakfast. I seriously dreamed of these little babies! You are amazing Natasha!
That’s an awesome feedback, Heather. Thank you for sharing your great comments with us, we appreciate it!
I love your recipes!!
Great to hear that!
My wife is really into broccoli lately. Would it be possible to use broccoli instead of the parsley?
Hi Randy, it will probably be easy to overstuff the shells by adding broccoli since it has more bulk, but I have had a reader report sneaking in veggies into stuffed shells for their kids to eat them.