(This recipe was originally posted on The Mother Huddle and has been updated with new photos 12/2024.)
I am still thinking about the Amazing Stuffed Shells I made for dinner last Thursday night. I didn’t even wait until I could get a better picture….that is how crucial I feel it is that you make these ASAP! If you are a fan of “stuffed shells,” try these Pierogi Stuffed Shells next.
Just make sure you invite me to dinner when you make them…..no, really, I’m serious!
More Italian Favorites
- Easy Baked Tortellini Casserole
- Amazing Manicotti Recipe
- Minestrone Soup
- Sausage and Zucchini Lasagna Roll-ups
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Pesto Parmesan Chicken
These are amazing. I could eat them everyday. It works out perfectly to double the batch of Amazing Spaghetti Sauce and use the leftovers to make these a day or two later.
Tips for Making Amazing Stuffed Shells
- Make sure to add salt to the water when you are cooking the jumbo shells.
- You can use cottage cheese or ricotta cheese for the filling, but I prefer ricotta.
- Make a double batch of this Amazing Spaghetti Sauce, and use one batch in this recipe.
Chef’s Tools for Making Stuffed Shells
Amazing Stuffed Shells {TMH}
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
The flavors going on in this recipe will literally knock your socks off. You will think you are at a five star Italian restaurant. Absolutely Delicious!
Author: Maria
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups Spaghetti Sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
- 24 Jumbo shells pasta
- 1 (16 ounce) cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp dry parsley flakes
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Add uncooked jumbo shells to boiling, salted water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- While pasta is boiling, prepare filling by mixing together the cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese), the egg, Parmesan cheese, sugar and parsley flakes. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Next, lightly spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and spread approx. 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the sprayed pan.
- When noodles are done cooking, drain them and immediately start filling each noodle with a spoonful of the cheese mixture. (Remember, you need to fill 24 shells, so don’t stuff them too full.)
- Place the stuffed shells in the 9x13 pan in three rows of 8.
- Next, pour the remainder of the sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove foil and sprinkle with 2 cups of Mozzarella cheese. Return to oven (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is nice and bubbly.
- Allow shells to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Hello! Planning on making a few of your recipes, but for this stuffed shell recipe do you have an exact recipe for your spaghetti sauce? I didn’t find a link. Thanks!
Yes, and it is fantastic! Here you go: https://reallifedinner.com/amazing-spaghetti-sauce/
Yummy
Thanks, glad you liked it.
Maria, thank you for posting this recipe and the spaghetti sauce recipe. Wow! I’ve never had better stuffed shells! I like stuffed shells, but am not such a huge fan of them. In fact, it’s been quite a while since I last made them. But my husband wanted me to make them for Father’s Day. So I found your recipe. This is by far the best, EVER! Now, I am a fan of stuffed shells. (I even sneaked one this morning before breakfast–right out of the fridge, cold. Ohhhh, so delish, delish!). This is not a 5 star recipe, it’s a 10!
marin
FAVORITE
We love these stuffed shells! So delicious and easy to make!