Description
Indulge in these delightful Stuffed Shells with Meat, a comforting twist on a classic Italian dish that’s sure to please everyone at the table. Each jumbo pasta shell is generously filled with a savory blend of seasoned ground beef, creamy ricotta, and fresh spinach, all topped with gooey mozzarella cheese and bathed in rich marinara sauce. This recipe is perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or meal prep, as they can be made ahead and reheat beautifully. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you’ll have a delicious meal ready in no time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3/4 – 1 lb ground beef
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 32 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cooked spinach, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1 box jumbo shells
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook jumbo shells according to package instructions; drain.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté diced bell peppers until soft. Add ground beef and cook until browned; stir in marinara sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, eggs, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, and salt until smooth.
- Fill each cooked shell with about one tablespoon of the ricotta mixture.
- Spread some meat sauce in a baking dish; arrange stuffed shells in a single layer and top with remaining meat sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, add more mozzarella cheese on top, increase temperature to 375°F (190°C), and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell (150g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: For a leaner option, substitute ground beef with ground turkey. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini into the filling for added nutrition.