Stuffed Shells with Meat and Ricotta

Easy stuffed shells with meat and ricotta baked in the oven is a family favorite one pot meal. Use homemade or a jar of spaghetti sauce to make this hamburger meat recipe or with spicy ground sausage.

Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef Recie

I would say this is a bit like our Lazy Lasagna Casserole, except the filling stays inside better. A bit cleaner and prettier to serve to guests and kinda’ a fun activity to do with your kids. As far as the size of the noodles you should use large or sometimes can find giant stuffed shells XL varieites.

Ground meat of any kind works. Beef is typical but honestly I have used half Jimmy Dean ground sausage at times and it is wonderful with a bit of heat. Many times I will make this with Homemade Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce or quick with a jar of Prego (or whatever is on sale).

Stuffed Shells with Meat and Ricotta

You will need to precook the meat at the beginning and combine with everything else to create a sort of mixture you can then spoon inside the al dente boiled pasta shells. If your meat isn’t fresh or defrosted this is How to Cook Frozen Ground Beef to start. Then continue on with the step by step directions listed below. You will need:

Ingredients

• Jumbo shells boiled to al dente
• Ground beef or could use half spicy ground sausage too
• Spaghetti sauce jar makes things easy
• Onion diced is optional
• Minced garlic
• Italian seasoning and salt and pepper if desired
• Mozzarella shredded
• 1 c parmesan grated
• Ricotta cheese

Equipment Needed

This will fit into a 9×13″ dish well. You don’t really want them to overlap but that isn’t a deal breaker if you wanted to add a few more on top so you didn’t have to use another pan. Just keep filling the insides until the meat and cheese mixture is all used up, you don’t want to waste any of that. A pot to boil noodles is needed too.

How to Cook Stuffed Shells in the Oven

1. You are going to boil the pasta in a pot full of salted water over medium high heat until they are al dente but softened. If too soft it will be difficult to fill without breaking apart so test often and drain in a colander.
   • To stop the cooking just turn on the cold water for a minute or so over the top.
2. Cook ground beef with the onions in a pan until no longer pink.
3. Combine with half the cheeses and ricotta and most of the sauce
4. Pour a bit of sauce on the bottom of the dish so it doesn’t stick
5. Fill each large shell with meat mix.
6. Lay inside dish until filled
7. Cover with any remaining sauce or meat and cheese
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is melted and golden brown.

Stuffed shells filling ideas

You can make these vegetarian for sure as well. This is how to cook frozen spinach until warmed and then combine with sauce and your choice of dairy-free cheeses. The rest of the instructions would remain the same.

• You can make these Mexican style with some refried beans mixed with the ground meat and a drained can of black beans in there.
• Instead of meat use sun-dried tomatoes and pesto instead of tomato sauce.
• Use shredded chicken with alfredo sauce instead.

Can you make stuffed shells ahead of time?

Yes and no. You could surely make a pot full of homemade Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce with Beef so that is done. This way you would have little to no prep work other than folding in the cheeses before stuffing. The noodles really need to be cooked relatively close to the time you bake them or they’ll stiffen and won’t be pliable to spoon in the filling.

Other easy pasta recipes you’ll love

• Lazy One Pot Spaghetti we love
• Ninja Foodi Taco Pasta is made quickly
• Crockpot chicken casserole is an Old Fashioned fave