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Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

Published on April 26, 2022 by Raveaboutfood

This cheesy pasta recipe is affordable and easy to make. Italian sausage added to the pasta sauce makes it a hearty weeknight dinner. Stuff the pasta shells with a mixture of Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and you’ve got a delicious pasta dish sure to be loved by all. Serve Stuffed Pasta Shells with a leafy, green salad and your meal is complete.

Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

Busy weeknights have many of us looking for easy-to-make recipes that our families will love. Well, this is one of those recipes! Simply boil your pasta, stuff the shells with a easy cheesy filling, cover with sauce and cheese, then bake for 30 minutes. In less than an hour, you will have a hot, tasty meal on the table to make even the pickiest eaters happy.

Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

What’s needed?

  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 25 ounce jar of pasta sauce
  • 1 16 ounce box of jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 cups of Ricotta cheese (1 16 ounce container)
  • 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • a pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 cups of Mozzarella cheese

How to make Stuffed Pasta Shells?

  • Boil pasta shells in a large pot according to package directions. Drain pasta and allow to cool slightly.
  • While pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
  • Add pasta sauce to the sausage and simmer on low.
tomato and sausage pasta sauce
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the Ricotta, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
ricotta cheese filling
  • Once the pasta shells are cool enough to handle, use a spoon to fill each shell with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture.
  • Place the pasta shells in a 13×9 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells
  • Pour the sauce with sausage over the pasta.
  • Sprinkle the dish with Mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake the pasta shells at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

Serve the Stuffed Pasta Shells with a leafy, green salad and some crusty Italian bread. The pasta-lovers in your family will devour this easy, cheesy pasta dish.

This recipe makes 8 servings. Cut the recipe in half if you want fewer servings. I like to make a large dish of 8 servings and freeze any leftovers we may have for another meal. It is just as delicious after freezing and warming it a second time.

Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells

This cheesy pasta recipe is affordable and easy to make. Italian sausage added to the pasta sauce makes it a hearty weeknight dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 jar pasta sauce, 24 ounces
  • 16 ounce box of jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 cups of Ricotta cheese, 1 16 ounce container
  • 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • a pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 cups of Mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

  • Boil pasta shells in a large pot according to package directions. Drain pasta and allow to cool slightly.
  • While pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Add pasta sauce to the sausage and simmer on low.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the Ricotta, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
  • Once the pasta shells are cool enough to handle, use a spoon to fill each shell with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture.
  • Place the pasta shells in a 13×9 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Notes

You can freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to one month.