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Home / Recipe for Jumbo Shells Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese

Recipe for Jumbo Shells Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese Stuffed Shells are the perfect dinner and it's a family favorite. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make stuffed pasta shells.

Stuffed pasta shells in casserole garnished with parsley

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We love Pasta recipes from Creamy Shrimp Pasta to Shrimp Scampi Pasta and of course our Chicken Pesto Pasta. If you are a fan of pasta, this Stuffed Shells Recipe is a must-try!

Stuffed Shells Video Tutorial

My kids love these stuffed jumbo shells filled with ricotta and melty mozzarella cheese over a bed of Marinara Sauce. They always disappear fast and reheat well.

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Cheesy stuffed shell on spoon

What are Stuffed Shells?

Stuffed shells are similar to Italian Manicotti or Cannelloni. Stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese filling. Pasta shells are perfect pockets for easy stuffing.

Recipe ingredients with jumbo shells, cheese, marinara, onion and garlic

How to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells

There are 3 main elements to this dish; the pasta, sauce and cheese filling, but the process is easy.

  1. Cook Pasta Shells – according to package instructions in salted water.
  2. Make the Red Sauce – Sautee onions in oil, add garlic, salt pepper, and oregano. Stir in 3 cups of your favorite Marinara Sauce. Pour sauce into a 13×9 casserole dish.
  3. Combine Cheese Sauce – In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, parmesan, 1 egg, salt, pepper, and oregano.
  4. Stuff Shells – The easiest way to portion is to fill a trigger ice cream scoop halfway with cheese filling then transfer it into the shell. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the pasta shells
  5. Bake – Cover with foil, and bake at 375˚F for 30 minutes then broil uncovered for 2-4 minutes.
Step by step tutorial for making stuffed shells

Common Questions

Where to buy jumbo shell pasta?

Jumbo shells are sold in most grocery stores usually in the pasta isle.

How to keep pasta shells from sticking together?

Once shells are cooked to al dente, drain the hot water then fill with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep the pasta from sticking.

What is Al dente?

Al dente means firm to the bite. Most package instructions will give you timings for perfectly cooked al dente pasta. Do not overcook shells or they will be flimsy and hard to stuff.

Can I use a glass casserole?

Yes, this will work great in a glass casserole dish. Broiling is not recommended with glass bakeware so once you remove the foil, increase the heat to about 475˚F and bake for 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Can I substitute ricotta?

The best substitute for ricotta is drained and mashed plain cottage cheese.

Baked Stuffed Shells with ricotta in casserole

Serve With

We love to serve this as a vegetarian main course paired with Garlic Bread and a simple side salad or veggies

  • Caesar Salad
  • Roasted Asparagus
  • BLT Salad
Ricotta Stuffed Shells served on a plate

Make-Ahead

  • To Refrigerate: Assemble, cover with foil and refrigerate unbaked shells for 1-2 days then bake as directed, adding 5 minutes to the bake time if baking a chilled casserole. You can also refrigerate a fully cooked and cooled lasagna.
  • Freezing: Fully assemble roll-ups in a casserole dish (without baking), cover tightly with foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (covered with foil) at 375˚F for about 45 minutes.
  • Reheating: Warm portions in the microwave or oven until roll-ups are heated through and cheese is melted.

Microwaving Tip: To retain moisture, add a drizzle of water over your food. To prevent splatter, we highly recommend using a plate cover.

Stuffed shells made ahead in baking dish

Stuffed pasta shells truly are easy to make. The prep time is minimal and the oven does the rest. It's sure to end up on your list of go-to dinners.

More Pasta Casseroles

Pasta bakes are the best kind of family-friendly dinner. Each of these recipes makes a big batch and each reheats really well which is perfect for meal prep.

  • Classic Lasagna – layers of noodles and beefy sauce
  • Chicken Lasagna – in white sauce
  • Baked Ziti – noodles in meat sauce
  • Lasagna Roll-Ups – the easiest way to serve lasagna
  • Chicken Tetrazzini – in cheesy cream sauce

Stuffed Shells Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

stuffed shells in casserole dish

Stuffed Shells filled with ricotta, parmesan, and melty mozzarella cheese. Stuffed Pasta Shells always disappear fast and reheat well.

Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $12-$16

Keyword: ricotta stuffed shells, stuffed pasta shells, stuffed shells

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Main Course

Calories: 435

Servings: 6 people

  • 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked to package instructions
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 3 cups marinara sauce
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/4 cup parsley, plus more to garnish

  1. Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook shells in salted water according to pacakge instructions (stirring several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the pot), then drain and fill pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep shells from sticking to each other.

  2. Make Sauce: In a deep pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté chopped onion until softened and golden (3-5 min). Add minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp oregano. Sauté another 1 minute stirring constantly until garlic is fragrant. Add 3 cups marinara and bring to a uniform boil then simmer for 2 minutes and pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.

  3. Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, add 15 oz ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until well combined.

  4. Stuff Shells: Use about 1/2 ice cream scoop or just until filled (do not overstuff). Place them in the casserole over the marinara sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.

  5. Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling at the edges. Remove foil and broil for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Shells Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 435 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g 32%

Saturated Fat 13g 81%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 103mg 34%

Sodium 1542mg 67%

Potassium 639mg 18%

Carbohydrates 32g 11%

Fiber 3g 13%

Sugar 7g 8%

Protein 30g 60%

Vitamin A 1414IU 28%

Vitamin C 13mg 16%

Calcium 691mg 69%

Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Recipe for Jumbo Shells Stuffed With Ricotta Cheese

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