These cheesy stuffed shells have completely won over my pasta-loving heart. Ricotta filled shells are topped with a quick marinara sauce oozing with delicious fresh flavors. So much to love here.
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Hi my friends!
I’m back again with another delicious meal. We love cheesy stuffed shells and this version is delightfully good. The recipe includes a quick and easy 15-minute marinara sauce that can be made with fresh, frozen or canned tomatoes. If you are short on time, you can also use your favorite jarred marinara sauce.
Are you ready to dive into the details? Let’s go.
How to make Cheesy Stuffed Shells
First, cook the pasta until al dente. I usually cut a minute or two off of what the package says the al dente time should be just to make sure I don’t end up with soggy noodles. Yep #soggynoodleissues.
Now it’s sauce time.
Put all the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and get the sauce simmering. I love how quick it comes together – just fifteen minutes of simmering.
The recipe calls for herbs de Provence, which may be an unfamiliar spice. If you don’t have herbs de Provence, you can try a few substitute pantry spices although the flavor will be slightly different. Try a pinch of basil, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Taste and add more spices, if needed.
While the sauce is simmering, it’s time to whip together the filling. I love using this easy homemade ricotta or this even easier Instant Pot ricotta cheese in the filling. Once you try it with homemade ricotta, you will never want to go back to store-bought ricotta again.
I have used half ricotta, half cottage cheese in this recipe and that works. I have not tried it with all cottage cheese, but I think it would work.
The assembly process doesn’t need to be complicated. Each shell should get a small spoonful of ricotta mixture (don’t overfill or there won’t be enough).
Squeeze them together in the pan. It’s okay if they are overlapping slightly; no elbow room needed.
Pour over the sauce, sprinkle the cheese, and then bake.
Eat em, anyway you like.
Serve them with the best Caesar salad or steamed broccoli, garlic toast or easy breadsticks.
Not fussy, but tasty; my kind of meal, right here.
I may have even been accused of purposely making this meal when my teenager wasn’t there, so there would be leftovers to enjoy the next day. Ya caught me, bud (*evil Mom laugh*).
The leftovers are good. Just saying.
Cheesy Stuffed Shells
These cheesy stuffed shells have completely won over my pasta-loving heart. Ricotta filled shells are topped with a quick marinara sauce oozing with delicious fresh flavors. So much to love here.
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
Sauce
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes see note
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ teaspoon herbs de provence see note
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Filling + Topping
- 2 cups ricotta cheese see note
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese divided: 1 c for the filling + 2 c for the topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Cook shells in lightly salted water until al dente according to package instruction. Drain and set aside.
For Sauce
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, herbs de Provence, garlic, basil, and salt. Simmer on low uncovered about 15 minutes, while you assemble the shells.
For Filling
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Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together ricotta, egg, salt, black pepper, fresh chopped basil or parsley, Parmesan or Romano cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese and set aside.
Assembling and Serving
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Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, fill the shells lightly with the ricotta mixture. Place shells in prepared baking pan. Spoon pasta sauce on top and 2 cups of grated mozzarella.
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Bake uncovered in preheat 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Tomatoes: When fresh tomatoes are in season, I like to use 16-ounces of fresh diced tomatoes in place of the canned. Frozen diced tomatoes also work in this recipe.
herbs de Provence: If you don’t have herbs de Provence, you can try a few substitute pantry spices although the flavor will be slightly different. Try a pinch of basil, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Taste and add more spices, if needed.
Store-bought substitution: For a quicker option, you can also substitute 2 ½ cups of your favorite store-bought jarred marinara sauce for the homemade sauce.
Ricotta: My favorite ricotta to use in this recipe is this easy Homemade Ricotta or this even easier Instant Pot ricotta cheese. Once you try it with homemade ricotta, you will never want to go back to store-bought ricotta again. I have used half ricotta, half cottage cheese in this recipe and that works. I have not tried it with all cottage cheese, but I think it would work.
Recipe Source: Heather @The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
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