Baked stuffed shells are a beloved Italian-American dish that combines tender pasta shells with a rich and flavorful filling, all topped with melted cheese and marinara sauce. This hearty, comforting meal is perfect for family dinners, special occasions, or any time you’re craving a satisfying dish full of savory goodness. The combination of cheese, pasta, and marinara sauce makes it a timeless favorite that’s sure to please everyone at the table.
The star of baked stuffed shells is the large pasta shells, which are carefully filled with a creamy ricotta cheese mixture. The ricotta is typically combined with other cheeses like mozzarella and Parmesan, along with a blend of herbs and spices such as garlic, basil, and oregano. This mixture creates a rich, flavorful filling that complements the soft pasta shells perfectly.
Once the shells are stuffed, they’re arranged in a baking dish and smothered with marinara sauce. The sauce adds a tangy, slightly sweet contrast to the rich cheese filling and helps to keep the pasta shells moist during baking. A generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top creates a golden, bubbly crust as the dish bakes in the oven.
Baked stuffed shells are a versatile dish that can be easily customized to suit your tastes. You can add ground beef, sausage, or vegetables to the filling for added flavor and texture. For a lighter version, you can use a combination of spinach and ricotta to create a vegetarian option that’s just as satisfying.
This dish is perfect for serving with a side of garlic bread and a simple salad, making it a complete meal that’s both comforting and indulgent. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or enjoying a cozy dinner at home, baked stuffed shells are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells about 20 shells
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, plus more for topping
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 2 cups marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Fill each cooked shell with the ricotta mixture and place in the baking dish, seam side up.
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with additional parsley before serving, if desired.
These are AMAZING! I made them for dinner and my whole family loved it. Will definitely be making again!
They turned out a bit mushy for me. Maybe I overcooked the shells? Not sure if I’ll try it again.
I find that if you cook them a little less, they turn out better! Don’t give up on them! 😊
Mushy? Are you sure you cooked them right? It’s pasta, not rocket science. 😒
I tried making these but used ricotta from the tub instead of fresh – BIG mistake! Tasted different. Next time, I’ll do it right.
Yummy! Plus easy to make. 10/10 recommend… but how many cups is 12 ounces of shells? Anyone know?
I tried this and it turned out okay. A bit too cheesy for my tastes but my kids loved it.
Why do you put an egg in there? Isn’t that for baking cakes? Seemed weird to me but still came out alright.
I can’t cook, but even I managed this! Pretty easy! Thanks for the recipe!
That’s awesome to hear! Cooking can be intimidating, but it’s all about following the steps. Happy you enjoyed it! 🍽️
It’s good but too much work for a weeknight dinner. Takes forever to stuff shells!
Not the best. I think there are too many cheeses. I prefer my pasta with meat.
I added some spinach in the ricotta mix and it turned out great! 😍
That sounds delicious! 😋 I bet the spinach added a nice twist. I’ll have to try that next time!
Spinach? Seriously? I don’t think that belongs in baked shells. Just stick to the original recipe!
These shells were amazing but I ran out of cheese! Next time, I’m buying extra mozzarella just to be safe.
Never made stuffed shells before but this was easy! Will definitely make again. Happy cook here! 😊
Simply yummy! I added some spinach to the ricotta mix, made it even healthier! 🌱
These stuffed shells are my absolute favorite! So cheesy and delicious! I can’t wait to make them again. 😍
I followed the recipe but my shells fell apart. I don’t think it should have been that hard…maybe my pasta was too old?
I know the struggle! Sometimes it’s tricky to get the shells just right. Maybe try using fresher pasta next time? It really makes a difference!
Old pasta? Nah, could be the way you cooked them. Did you let them cool a bit before filling? That might help hold them together better!
SO GOOD!! My kids loved it! Gonna make it again this weekend!
Yum! I added some ground beef to the filling for extra flavor and it was a hit! Will definitely make this again.
No way this is as good as it looks, I mean really?? How can it be?!
I wasn’t really sure about using egg in the filling. Is there a way to do it without it? Asking for a friend!
Just okay. I’ve had better stuffed shells at an Italian restaurant. Won’t make this again.
I don’t know what I did wrong, but mine came out super dry. Maybe I overbaked it? 🤔
Food good, but too much work for me. Next time I’ll just buy frozen ones.
Totally get that! Cooking can be a lot of effort. But these stuffed shells are soooo good! Maybe try it once for the experience?
Frozen isn’t the same, man! You miss out on the yumminess of fresh cheese and all that. Just give it a shot!
Honestly, wasn’t that impressed. The ricotta is too bland for me. Maybe add some garlic?
I think garlic would be a great addition! I always add it to my ricotta mix for more flavor. Don’t give up on this recipe yet!
This was amazing! I added some spinach and it was still to die for! Yummm!!!
I followed the recipe exactly, but I found it a bit bland. Maybe more seasoning next time?
Not sure about this. 15 oz ricotta for 20 shells seems like a lot and it felt heavy. Also, I ran out of marinara after covering—maybe I’m bad at measuring lol.
How many servings does this make? I made half but I could eat the whole thing by myself!
This recipe makes about 4 servings if you fill each shell well! It sounds so yummy, I can understand wanting to eat it all yourself!
This recipe is a lie! It says 20 shells but I only had 18. What gives? 🤨
I’ve had that happen too! Maybe the shells were bigger than they should be? 🤷♂️
Not great. The shells fell apart, and the sauce was too salty for my liking. Would not recommend.
These shells came out amazing! Such a hit at dinner! 🎉
These are absolutely delicious! The flavors were perfect, and my whole family loved them.
So glad to hear that! They really are a family favorite. Did you.change anything in the recipe?
I found them kinda bland. Maybe need more spices or something? Not sure I would make again.
wow
I dunno, just didn’t seem that special. Like, shells are just shells.
Honestly, I think stuffed shells have a lot more potential than just being shells. The flavors in this recipe sound amazing! Give it another try with some spices or veggies.
Pretty good, but mine came out a little salty. Next time I’ll reduce the salt or taste the ricotta mix first. Still, the cheese pull was awesome.
Good call on tasting the ricotta mix first—salt can definitely sneak up on you, especially with store-bought marinara and parmesan. Next time I’d start with a half tsp salt and adjust after mixing.
So easy to make! I accidentally used penne instead of shells, but it still turned out great! 😂
Glad to hear it still turned out well! Pasta’s pretty forgiving. 😂
Penne? Really? That ain’t the same, but if it worked, why not? 🤷♂️
Too much cheese for me, I think! Next time I’ll reduce it. Cheese overload lol.
These stuffed shells are incredible! I loved the cheesy filling. Will definitely make again!
I prefer penne pasta instead of shells. Just a personal preference! 🥲
I dunno, penne just seems so boring compared to these big shells! They hold more stuff, right?
Penne is good too! I used it last week, but these shells are the best for stuffing! 😋
1/2 cup parmesan felt way too little to me, like where’s the flavor? I added more and it still tasted kinda bland. Won’t make again as written.
This recipe is awesome! So cheesy and delicious. My family loved it! 😍
So glad to hear that! It’s a family favorite at my house too! 😄
These shells turned out so creamy inside—exactly what I wanted. I used homemade marinara and it really made a difference. The bake time was spot on too.
I followed the recipe and it worked… mostly. My shells were a bit overcooked because my package said 10 min but I think it needed less. But overall tasty and comforting.
Mine usually needs like 15 min total for the shells? So if yours was overcooked, maybe you didn’t drain soon enough or the water was boiling hard the whole time. Either way, sounds good though.
Ugh I hate when the package cook time lies 😅 Next time I’d start checking the shells a minute or two early—“al dente” is the key. Glad it still came out tasty!