Creamy Beef Stuffed Shells (Printable)

Tender jumbo shells filled with seasoned beef and three-cheese ricotta blend, baked in rich creamy tomato sauce with golden melted cheese topping.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - Combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and parsley in a large bowl. Fold in the cooled beef mixture until well blended.
05 - Mix marinara sauce and heavy cream in a separate bowl. Spoon half the sauce mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
06 - Fill each pasta shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the beef-ricotta mixture. Arrange stuffed shells in the baking dish.
07 - Pour remaining sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking uncovered for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef and ricotta filling creates this incredible richness that makes everyone think you spent all day cooking, even though it comes together in under an hour
  • Baked pasta dishes are the ultimate makeahead friendly meal you can assemble in the morning and pop in the oven whenever you are ready
  • This recipe somehow tastes even better as leftovers, meaning your lunch the next day becomes something you actually look forward to
02 -
  • Overcook the pasta during boiling and you will end up with mushy shells that fall apart when you try to stuff them, so err on the side of too al dente
  • The beef mixture must cool slightly before mixing it with the ricotta, otherwise the heat can partially cook the egg and create weird scrambled egg bits in your filling
  • Do not skip the resting period after baking, I once rushed this and watched all that gorgeous filling slide right out of the shells onto the serving plate
03 -
  • Use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner snipped off to fill the shells, it is so much faster and less messy than trying to use spoons
  • Let the ricotta drain in a colander for about 15 minutes if it seems watery, which will prevent your filling from becoming too loose

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