Creamy Beef Stuffed Shells With Ricotta (Printable)

Tender pasta shells stuffed with beef and ricotta, baked in creamy tomato sauce with melted cheese topping.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells

→ Beef Filling

02 - 1 lb ground beef
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Ricotta Filling

08 - 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Sauce

13 - 2 cups marinara sauce
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Topping

15 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
16 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Cook the jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain carefully and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
04 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and parsley. Fold in the cooled beef mixture until well blended.
05 - In a separate bowl, mix marinara sauce and heavy cream until combined. Spoon half the sauce mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
06 - Fill each pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons of the beef-ricotta mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer in the baking dish, opening side up.
07 - Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese.
08 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Let the stuffed shells rest for 5 minutes before serving to set. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef and ricotta filling creates this incredible rich and hearty texture that feels like a warm hug
  • These shells reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if they even last that long
  • The creamy tomato sauce brings restaurant quality comfort food right to your dinner table
02 -
  • Dont overcook the pasta shells initially or theyll tear when you try to stuff them
  • Let the beef cool before mixing it with the ricotta or youll end up with scrambled eggs in your filling
  • The sauce will look thin going in but it thickens beautifully as it bakes
03 -
  • Use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner cut off to fill the shells quickly and neatly
  • Place your filled shells in the baking dish standing up so none of the filling spills out

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