Getting that perfectly cheesy stuffed shell with the right amount of meat sauce is easy with this recipe. You’ll have plump, cheese-stuffed jumbo shells in a meaty delicious sauce.
You’ll love this stuffed shells recipe with meat
Not only is this recipe easy to make, it’s hearty, and family friendly.
An important part to a great stuffed shell recipe is having the right kind of ricotta mixture and the right ratio of cheese stuffing to meat sauce. You want a plump, stuffed shell with a nice meaty sauce.
With this recipe, you’ll have the best stuffed shells. Everyone will be asking for the recipe.
Ingredients for stuffed shells with meat sauce
- ground Italian sausage
- marinara sauce
- jumbo pasta shells
- salt
- whole milk ricotta
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- grated parmesan cheese
- fresh spinach
- egg
- garlic powder
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- dried parsley
- ground black pepper
Substitutions and alterations
- Italian sausage – You can replace the Italian sausage with ground beef or even ground turkey. Just be sure to season it well for the best flavor.
- Jumbo shells – this recipe would also work well with manicotti pasta. Just fill them the same way you would the shells. You may need to bake it slightly longer.
- Spinach – You can omit the spinach entirely. It does help to bulk up the filling, but feel free to use thawed frozen spinach or leave it out.
How to make stuffed shells with meat
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the Italian sausage until it’s browned and cooked through. Turn the heat off and pour in the marinara sauce. Mix to combine and set it aside.
- Cook the jumbo shells according to the package in salted water just until they reach al dente. They will continue cooking in the oven so they need to be slightly undercooked at this point.
- Drain them and set them aside to cool.
- While your shells are cooking, add the ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, basil, oregano, parsley, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until its fully combined.
- Spread 2/3 of the sauce mixture across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. I like to add the filling to a zip top baggy and clip the corner. Then just squeeze the filling to the shells.
- Place the filled shells in the baking dish open side up.
- Continue until all of the shells are filled.
- Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.
How to season ricotta cheese
It’s really important to properly season the ricotta cheese mixture.
Mix together the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, basil, oregano, parsley, and black pepper.
By having a properly seasoned ricotta cheese mix, your stuffed shells will be packed with flavor.
Tips and tricks
Add the cheese filling to a zip top bag and clip the bottom corner. Squeeze the filling into the shells instead of scooping it with a spoon to avoid breaking them.
I like to boil some extra shells just in case some of them rip while I’m filling them or while they are boiling.
Manicotti vs stuffed shells
Manicotti are large, tube-shaped pasta shells. The filling for manicotti often consists of a mix of ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, eggs, herbs, and spices.
Manicotti shells are filled with the cheese mixture and then baked in a sauce.
Stuffed shells are also pasta shells, but they are typically shaped like large shells with a wide opening.
Stuffed shells are often filled with a mixture of ricotta cheese, along with spinach, mozzarella, and herbs.
Stuffed shells are also baked in a sauce like marinara or tomato sauce.
kitchen tools to make stuffed shells
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
mixing bowls – stainless steel
Buy Now →
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → How to store stuffed shells with meat and cheese
Allow the shells to cool completely. Once they’ve cooled completely, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to freeze stuffed shells
To freeze stuffed shells, allow them to cool completely. Place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 6 months.
Reheating stuffed shells
Stuffed shells are best reheated in the oven.
Put the shells in an oven-safe dish. Cover it and bake for about 20 minutes at 350ºF.
You can also microwave individual portions, but be careful not to overcook them or the cheese will get grainy and the shells will become hard.
What to serve with stuffed shells
Stuffed shells go great with garlic bread, parmesan breadsticks, or a side salad topped with ranch.
FAQs
The amount varies per brand, but there are typically 20-25 shells per 12oz box of jumbo shells.
Yes, stuffed shells freeze really well. The important thing is to make sure they are stored properly.
You can prepare stuffed shells ahead of time by either waiting to bake them, or baking them and reheating them when you are ready to serve.
Stuffed shells can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Other pasta recipes you might like
If you make this recipe and love it, we would love a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! It helps us continue to provide free recipes.
Share on Facebook
Share
Stuffed Shells with Meat
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 20 shells jumbo shells boil extra in case they rip
- salt
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 cups fresh spinach chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the Italian sausage until it’s browned and cooked through. Turn the heat off and pour in the marinara sauce. Mix to combine and set it aside.
- Cook the jumbo shells according to the package in salted water just until they reach al dente. They will continue cooking in the oven so they need to be slightly undercooked at this point.
- Drain them and set them aside to cool.
- While your shells are cooking, add the ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, basil, oregano, parsley, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until its fully combined.
- Spread 2/3 of the sauce mixture across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. I like to add the filling to a zip top baggy and clip the corner. Then just squeeze the filling to the shells.
- Place the filled shells in the baking dish open side up.
- Continue until all of the shells are filled.
- Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Add the cheese filling to a zip top bag and clip the bottom corner. Squeeze the filling into the shells instead of scooping it with a spoon to avoid breaking them.
- I like to boil some extra shells just in case some of them rip while I’m filling them or while they are boiling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
