Extra Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Shells
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If you are a pasta lover like us, you will definitely fall in love with this pasta recipe. Stuffed shells are a popular dish for a good reason! They are hearty, elegant looking, and yet so easy to make. These pasta shells are stuffed with a cheesy filling made of mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, parsley, and garlic. Who could resist all of that cheese?
You can keep this pasta dish in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, bake the frozen shells, and be sure to add an extra 20 minutes to the cooking time.
When baked and ready to eat, stuffed shells will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For better preservation, store your baked shells in an airtight container.
Can’t wait for you to try this delicious stuffed pasta shells recipe!
Bon appétit!
Difficulty: 
Prep time: 15 mins / Cook time: 40 mins / Servings: 4 people
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Parsley Ricotta Stuffing
1 - Garlic clove
1 oz (30g) - Parsley
15 oz (425g) - Ricotta
1 oz (30g) - Parmesan
8 oz (226g) - Mozzarella
1 - Egg
To taste - Himalayan salt
To taste - Pepper
Pasta Sauce
15 - Jumbo shells
1 - Onion
4 - Garlic cloves
To taste - Himalayan salt
24 oz (680g) - Tomato sauce
To taste - Pepper
2 tsp (1.5g) - Oregano
2 tsp (2.5g) - Dill
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We advise that you prepare all the above ingredients before starting.
You will typically need: a scale, measuring cups, mixing bowls.
Parsley Ricotta Stuffing
1 - Crush a peeled garlic clove and finely mince it using a sharp knife before setting it aside.
Tip: We recommend you use a chef's knife for this task. We love Japanese knives and recommend this quality kit from GLOBAL for home and professional chefs. We also love this reversible cutting board with integrated hand grips from John Boos.
2 - Finely mince the curly parsley and set it aside.
3 - Add the ricotta to a large mixing bowl, add in the minced garlic, minced parsley, parmesan, and mozzarella. Stir everything together until well combined with a silicone spatula.
Tip: We store our ingredients in these mixing bowls and mini glass bowls from Duralex while cooking. We love Duralex for their quality products and low prices!
4 - Crack the egg into the ricotta mixture. Add some salt and pepper (to taste) and stir again until well incorporated. Set it aside.
Pasta Sauce
1 - Add water to a large pot (or like us a cast iron dutch oven) as well as some salt (to taste). Then, bring everything to a boil.
Tip: Staub and Le Creuset are some of the best brands money can buy. Here, we used this fantastic cast iron dutch oven from Le Creuset and are very happy with it! For more recommended bakeware and cookware, check out our article: "The Best Non-Toxic Pots & Pans: Our Must-Have Cookware List".
2 - Once boiling, add the jumbo shells and cook for about 8 minutes (or until al dente). Next, transfer the pasta to a bowl of cold water and set it aside.
3 - Peel and finely chop the onion before setting it aside.
4 - Crush, peel, and mince the garlic cloves. Then, set them aside.
5 - Place a large pot over medium heat and add some olive oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, making sure to stir from time to time to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6 - Next, add some salt and pepper alongside the tomato sauce and stir until well combined.
7 - Mix the oregano and the dill into the sauce and allow it to simmer for about 3 minutes.
8 - Add a layer of sauce to the bottom of a baking dish. Then, fill up the jumbo shells with the ricotta mixture using a spoon. Arrange them into the baking dish, open side up.
9 - Once the dish is full, add a generous layer of pasta sauce on top of the stuffed pasta and then a layer of mozzarella. Transfer the dish into a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Once ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature for a couple of minutes.
10 - Enjoy!
Watch our video for more details!
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Disclaimer: baking/cooking times vary according to each appliance. Make sure to always control halfway through for success.
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🎬 Everything we used for this recipe:
🍶 Kitchenware: Coming soon!
🍳 Ingredients: Coming soon!
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The information provided in this recipe is not nutritional or medical advice. Please read our disclaimer.