This easy stuffed shells recipe is made with jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Then it is baked in spaghetti sauce until hot and bubbly. Using jarred sauce and a simple trick for filling the shells makes this classic comfort food surprisingly easy to prepare. It’s a delicious family dinner that can also be made ahead or frozen for later.
As you may know, part of my childhood was spent growing up vegetarian. So for a time, on major holidays – like Thanksgiving or Easter – we didn’t eat those big traditional meat dishes. Instead, my mom would make amazing stuffed shells.
This stuffed shells recipe really only has a handful of ingredients, but they come together in such a magical way. The smoothness of the ricotta and the perfect taste of mozzarella cheese come together with herbs and spices and then is smothered in my homemade spaghetti sauce. The whole combination will have you falling in love with this classic.
We made stuffed shells last night. It was easy to make. They tasted so good. I enjoy your recipes. Thanks!
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients: Just three cheeses, an egg, seasonings, pasta, and sauce.
- Easy assembly: Using a zip-top bag to pipe the filling makes stuffing the shells much faster.
- No need for homemade sauce: Your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce works perfectly.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the shells a day in advance or freeze them for a future dinner.
Ingredients for Stuffed Shells
- Jumbo pasta shells: These are big enough to hold the filling perfectly.
- Ricotta cheese: This provides the creamy base for the filling.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan: The mozzarella melts perfectly giving you that cheesy filling, and the Parmesan adds amazing flavor.
- Egg: Helps the cheese filling hold together as it bakes.
- Garlic and dried herbs: Season the filling without needing to cook anything separately.
- Spaghetti sauce: Store-bought sauce keeps this recipe easy but homemade spaghetti sauce is also delicious. Make it the day before to help keep this a quick recipe.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
This is a brief overview of how to make this delicious recipe. For the full recipe with all of the measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the shells. For detailed tips on cooking pasta see this post: How to Cook Pasta.
- Make the filling. In a bowl combine the egg, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Fill the shells. I love using a ziplock bag for this. Add the filling to a bag, cut off the tip, and pipe the filling into the shells.
- Put it all together and bake. Add some sauce to the bottom of a baking dish, then add the stuffed shells, seam side up. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for five minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Stuffing Shells
You will note that both above and in the recipe card, I encouraged you to use a ziplock bag to stuff the shells. It really does make it go much much faster. Just fill the bag with the cheese filling. Get out as much air as you can. Seal the bag, and then cut off the tip. Place the tip of the bag in the shell and then pipe a small amount of filling in each shell.
Using Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
If you have the time, I highly encourage you to make my 25 minute spaghetti sauce for this recipe. Though the recipe calls for diced and crushed tomatoes, I encourage you to use just crushed for this recipe. This recipe makes six cups of sauce, and you only need 3 1/2 cups, but I encourage you to make the whole recipe so you get to have extra.
If you don’t have time to make homemade sauce, and believe me, I get it, grab a jar of your very favorite spaghetti sauce, and you will still love these stuffed pasta shells.
Tips for Easy Stuffed Shells
- Set a timer for the pasta: This will prevent you from overcooking the pasta, which will impact the overall dish.
- Use a gallon-sized zip-top bag for filling: Add the cheese filling to the bag and cut off a small portion of one of the bottom corners. Then pipe the shells with the filling.
- Spread sauce over the bottom of the baking dish: Before adding the stuffed shells to the baking dish, add 1 cup of spaghetti sauce and spread it evenly. This will prevent the shells from drying out on the bottom or sticking to the bottom.
- Shred mozzarella from a block: Freshly grated cheese melts the best, and it is one of the stars of the show in this recipe.
Making Stuffed Shells Ahead
These ricotta stuffed shells can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Assemble the shells through the step where you add the sauce and cheese, but do not bake. Then cover them and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. Keep in mind that given they are coming out of a cold refrigerator, you are going to want to bake them for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Freezing
If you would like to freeze the shells, make them in a disposable baking dish. This will allow you to take them right from the cold freezer to the hot oven without worrying about the baking dish cracking.
Make the shells through step four. Cover with aluminum foil. Wrap three times with plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, keep the shells covered, and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover shells should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat leftovers, covered, in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until the shells reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, cover the shells and warm them in the microwave at half power for 3 to 5 minutes.
Stuffed Shells Variations
If you love this recipe but want some great spins on it, you must try the following two:
- Chicken Stuffed Shells – In this recipe we are swapping some of the cheese for chicken and broccoli and we are covering it all in a homemade Alfredo sauce you will fall head over heels for.
- Taco Stuffed Shells – Take everything you love about tacos and stuff it in pasta shells for a perfect spin that will make your kids flip.
FAQ
Frozen shells can be placed right from the freezer into the preheated oven. Add 15 to 25 minutes to the baking time. Please see more detailed instructions above.
Stuffed shells only take 35 minutes to bake at 375 degrees. Make sure to remove the foil after 30 minutes to get the cheese nice and bubbly.
Yes! There are a number of gluten free shells on the market, and given that there is no other source of gluten in this recipe, this is an easy one to make gluten free.
While that is not my favorite swap, it is definitely an option if you don’t like ricotta or can’t find it. Cottage cheese will work as a replacement in this recipe.
What to Make with Stuffed Shells
If you make this stuffed shells recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Recipe Video
Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 25 jumbo shells
- 1 large egg
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated and divided
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, cut this to 1/2 a teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 28 ounces spaghetti sauce divided (read here about using homemade sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the shells according to package instructions. Make sure the water is at a full boil before you put in the uncooked shells. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the water, and set a timer so that the pasta is drained just before it is al dente.25 jumbo shells
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (you will use the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan in step 4), garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and black pepper. Add the mixture to a large ziplock bag and then cut off the tip. Use this to pipe the cheese mixture into the shells.1 large egg, 15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley, 1/2 tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pour 1 cup of sauce onto the prepared casserole dish to coat the bottom. Place the filled shells, seam side up, in the pan. Top with the remaining sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.28 ounces spaghetti sauce
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Michele Engholm says
SO making this tomorrow!!! Thank you!!!
I hope you love it!
Tracie says
We made stuffed shells last night. It was easy to make. They tasted so good. I enjoy your recipes. Thanks
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know.
Thelma D says
Can these be made in the crock pot?
I’m sure they could be, but I haven’t tested that.
Diane Horner says
This looks good! i add browned Italian sausage. Also, I’ve found that aluminum foil reacts with tomato sauce – puts holes in the foil. I would use plastic wrap 1st. I enjoy your recipes, keep ’em coming!
marie says
I make this recipe but I add spinach to it
Stephen says
I haven’t made it yet, but I am saving it for when I move into my new house (probably gonna be October). I would cook them all and then freeze half, ok, my math brain says not half, but 13 for the freezer. I’m thinking 6 per dinner.
I love the idea of using the ziploc bag. I’m thinking my mom probably just used a spoon, and let me say, to feed all 6 of us, she made a bunch of them. Probably why when she discovered the frozen shells, she went to using them (and we didn’t mind, since she made her own sauce, too).
I hope you enjoy them!
Barbara says
The stuffed shells were so good. I’m just learning to cook and since it looked so easy I gave it a try. Turned out very good. The only problem I had was with the zip lock bag, I needed three hands, two to hold and squeeze the bag and one to hold open the shells. So I spooned the filling in the shells. I also browned some italian sausage and put them in the bottom of the dish with the spaghetti sauce. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these!
Temple says
What is the purpose of the egg? Just curious. Thank you!
It helps bind the ingredients together.
Kelly says
This was amazing!! My family absolutely loved it. I served it with garlic bread and caesar salad and there was leftovers for the next day.
Many thanks