Easy Stuffed Shells
You know what’s just plain annoying? You get home after a busy day, craving something cozy, but you’re in no mood to spend hours in the kitchen. Easy Stuffed Shells to the rescue. No tricky steps, nothing fancy required. Just straight-up comfort food, kind of like a warm, edible hug.
Trust me, even if you’re a little clumsy in the kitchen or you have zero patience (like me most days), this crowd-pleaser won’t let you down. It’s my go-to when I want people to think I cooked all day — but honestly, it’s easier than making boxed mac and cheese sometimes.
Easy Stuffed Shells
Let’s keep it real: I stumbled on this recipe during one of those “what do I even have in the pantry” kind of nights. And now? These Easy Stuffed Shells basically have a regular spot in my dinner routine.
They’re cheesy, they’re saucy, and kids actually eat them (no small miracle). You don’t need twenty bazillion ingredients. The key is getting jumbo pasta shells — not the tiny ones that slip through your fingers. I learned that lesson the…er, hard way, let’s say.
So anyway, these shells get stuffed with a creamy ricotta cheese mixture, nestled in a baking dish with marinara, and covered in melty mozzarella. It’s the sort of thing you want to make a little extra because leftovers the next day are even better. My neighbor once described them as “five-star restaurant level,” which is probably an exaggeration but, hey, I’ll take it.
Let’s talk about it, because if I can pull it off, you can definitely do it!
Ingredients
Half the battle is just having the right stuff on hand. Here’s what you’ll actually need:
- Big box of jumbo pasta shells (try not to grab the small ones, trust me!)
- One tub of ricotta cheese (about 15 oz)
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese (depends how cheesy you like it)
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
- 24 oz of marinara sauce, jarred or homemade is up to you
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs (or just some oregano and basil if that’s all you’ve got)
- Salt and pepper
Optional but highly recommended: Throw in a handful of chopped spinach or parsley for good measure (it makes you feel fancy, even if you’re not).
Directions
Honestly, the hardest thing is not just eating the filling straight out of the bowl.
- First, cook your shells in boiling water until they’re almost done. Not mushy! Drain them, let them cool a bit so you aren’t burning your fingerprints off.
- In a big bowl, mix that ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, and a little salt and pepper. You can add chopped spinach here, sneak some greens in!
- Pour half the marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Trust me, this keeps them from sticking.
- Now comes the stuffing. Fill each pasta shell with a spoonful (not too full, or it just oozes out everywhere).
- Nestle the stuffed shells side by side in the saucy dish. Spoon more sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella.
- Bake it at 375°F for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
Snack on stray mozzarella while it bakes. It’s basically required.
Serving Suggestions
So you’ve nailed these Easy Stuffed Shells — what goes with ’em? Here’s what we do in my house:
- Garlic bread (buy a loaf, slather it with butter and garlic, pop in the oven with the shells)
- A side salad, if you’re feeling like you should eat something green
- Extra parmesan for good luck
- And, if we’re feeling really wild, a splash of red wine
People actually think you did something fancy. Joke’s on them.
My Real-Life Experience
I swear, I’ve made these Easy Stuffed Shells after work, for picky family, at a potluck, and even once for a neighbor who just had a baby (came back with an empty dish). The best part? You can totally make them ahead. Sometimes I put ’em together in the morning and just toss in the oven after work. No fuss.
“These shells saved my sanity during back-to-school week. The whole family asked for seconds and my husband actually did the dishes, so I call that a win.” — Jess from Milwaukee
Sometimes I add cooked sausage if I’m feeling fancy, or toss in roasted veggies for a meatless fix. The base recipe’s so forgiving you can’t really mess it up.
Got cold leftovers? Throw them in the microwave and live your best lunch life. If you’ve got a favorite trick for these shells, tell me! I’m always looking for ways to make dinner less of a hassle.
Easy Stuffed Shells
Comforting and easy-to-make stuffed pasta shells filled with a creamy ricotta mixture and topped with marinara and mozzarella.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 box of jumbo pasta shells
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1–2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: chopped spinach or parsley
Instructions
- Cook the jumbo pasta shells in boiling water until almost done, then drain and cool slightly.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, and salt and pepper. Add chopped spinach if desired.
- Pour half the marinara sauce into a baking dish.
- Stuff each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture and place them in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
Notes
Great for make-ahead meals; leftovers are even better the next day. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
