Looking for a delicious and satisfying weeknight dinner? Our Stuffed Shells with Meat is the ultimate comfort food. Loaded with creamy ricotta cheese and baked in a hearty meat sauce, one bite will have you hooked. Plus, this easy stuffed shells recipe is freezer-friendly, so you can enjoy them any night of the week.
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Cheesy pasta will always be my true love for dinner. Of course, any kind of pasta dinner makes me happy, but stuffed pasta really makes me smile. And the cheesier the dish is, the better!
Why Make Meat Stuffed Shells
These stuffed pasta shells can be ready to eat in less than an hour. Add some homemade garlic bread and this easy tiramisu recipe for a comforting dinner that everyone will love.
- Easy to Make - These stuffed shells with meat might look complicated, but the homemade dinner recipe is really simple to assemble.
- Cheesy & Delicious - A creamy ricotta filling and ground beef sauce adds flavor and makes it such a comforting meal.
- Convenient - You can make a pan of stuffed shells ahead of time, so dinner is ready to be put in the oven as soon as you get home.
- Freezer Friendly - This meal also freezes well. It's the perfect meal to keep on hand for busy days or to share with friends and family.
What are Stuffed Shells?
This Italian inspired dinner features jumbo pasta shells that are filled with a cheese mixture, then baked with sauce and cheese. Ricotta and beef are the most common ingredients used for this meal, but other favorites are sausage and cheese stuffed shells or chicken Alfredo stuffed shells.
Ingredients Needed
These jumbo ricotta stuffed shells are a delicious comfort food dinner similar to lasagna. The cheesy filling is made up of three different types of cheeses along with some fresh basil and garlic.
- Jumbo Pasta Shells - I like to cook the entire box of shells, so there are extras in case some break while filling them.
- Ground Beef - For this recipe you will need 1 pound cooked and drained for a hearty meat filled sauce.
- Veggies - A mixture of onions, green peppers, and garlic gives the sauce a better flavor.
- Marinara Sauce - A jar of store bought sauce saves time when making stuffed shells.
- Ricotta Cheese - One whole container creates the base for the cheese mixture.
- Parmesan Cheese - The pre-grated cheese in the bottle works perfectly fine.
- Italian Cheese Blend - This cheese blend will go in the filling and also on top of the finished dish. Feel free to use shredded mozzarella if you prefer that.
- Egg - Helps to hold the cheeses together in the shells, so it doesn't melt and run all over the place.
- Seasonings - Salt, pepper, minced garlic, & fresh basil add plenty of flavor to the sauce and ricotta filling.
How to make Stuffed Shells with Meat
This easy stuffed shells recipe with meat can be ready in no time at all. it is a great comfort food for family dinners, yet it is fancy enough to serve guests for the holidays.
Step 1. Make the meat sauce. Cook the hamburger in a large skillet with diced veggies until cooked, then pour off the excess grease. Stir minced garlic and pasta sauce into the cooked meat. Spread 1 cup on the bottom of a dish.
BruCrew Tip: Cook the shells in a separate pot while the meat is cooking. Lay the drained cooked shells on a wire rack, so they do not stick together.
Step 2. Make a cheese filling. Stir together ricotta, parmesan, shredded cheese, egg, and spices. Fill cooled pasta shells with the cheese mixture.
Step 3. Assemble in pan. Place the stuffed shells in a baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce around them.
Step 4. Bake and enjoy. Top the stuffed shells with more shredded cheese. Place the dish in a preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Storage Recommendations
In the Refrigerator - Keep leftover cooked shells in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To Reheat - Place a few stuffed pasta shells on a microwave safe plate and heat for 1-2 minutes.
Tips and Variations
Here are some basic tips and tricks that will help you make the best stuffed shells for dinner.
- Cook the shells to al dente. When you boil the shells, under cook them by 2 minutes because they will continue to cook later.
- Salt the water. This is the only way you can season the pasta noodles and enhance the flavor. Use around 1 tablespoon salt for every 5-6 quarts of water.
- Change up the cheese. Feel free to use cottage cheese that has been drained in place of the ricotta and shredded mozzarella instead of Italian cheese.
- Use a different meat. To avoid using red meat, use an equal amount of ground turkey, ground chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Add more veggies. Try adding spinach to the sauce. Let it wilt before spooning into the pan.
- Freezer Friendly. This recipe serves 8 people, so divide the shells into 2 - 8x8 pans. Bake one for dinner now and freeze one for later.
- Vegetarian Meal - Leave out the meat and increase the veggies in the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
These stuffed shells with ricotta and meat are a hearty meal all on their own. If you want to complete the meal with more veggies, here are a few we suggest.
FAQ
Yes, they can be made and assembled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Make and stuff the shells and place them in a covered container in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to bake, place them in a pan with the meat sauce and cover with shredded cheese. You may need to add an additional 10-15 minutes to the bake time, since you are baking chilled pasta.
Yes, these pasta shells can be frozen individually or in a pan with sauce for 2-3 months.
Baked stuffed shells will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. They are easy to reheat in the microwave making this a great meal prep recipe.
Leave out the ground beef and just add sauce to the shells. You can also add chopped spinach to the sauce to add more veggies to the pasta dish.
How to Freeze Stuffed Shells
These classic stuffed shells are the ultimate freezer meal to make and share with others. There are two different ways you can freeze these stuffed pasta shells.
Freezing Stuffed Shells without Sauce
- Fill the cooked cooled shells with the cheese mixture. Place the shells on a parchment lined tray and freeze for an hour or two, then place the frozen shells in a freezer safe bag.
- To cook, place the frozen shells in a pan with pasta sauce and cheese and bake. They will need to bake about 10-15 minutes longer because they are frozen.
Freezing Stuffed Shells with Sauce
- Make the shells and place them in a disposable aluminum pan with the meat sauce and cheese. Do not bake it!
- Cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap and then tightly wrap with foil. Freeze for 2-3 months.
- You can bake the frozen shells, or you can thaw them overnight in the fridge first.
- Remove the inner layer of plastic wrap before baking. The frozen shells with sauce will need to bake about 50-60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and cook another 10-15 minutes.
More Pasta Recipes
- Chicken Supreme Casserole
- Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Beef Stroganoff
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Tomato Basil Pasta
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Recipe
Stuffed Shells with Meat
These Stuffed Shells with Meat are the ultimate comfort food. Loaded with creamy ricotta cheese and baked in a hearty meat sauce, one bite will have you hooked. Plus, this easy stuffed shells recipe is freezer-friendly, so you can enjoy them any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 1 box jumbo pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup diced onions
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 - 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Filling
- 1 - 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded Italian cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9x13 dish with nonstick spray.
- Cook pasta shells according to box directions. Drain water and place shells on a wire rack, so they do not stick together.
- Cook the ground beef with the onion and peppers until done. Drain any grease.
- Stir the garlic and marinara sauce into the meat mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup sauce in bottom of prepared dish.
- Stir together the ricotta, parmesan, 2 cups shredded cheese, egg, basil, and salt and pepper.
- Fill 24 cooked pasta shells with the cheese mixture. Place filled shells on top of the sauce in the dish.
- Spoon the remaining meat sauce around the filled shells. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and cover with foil. Bake 25 minutes, remove foil, and broil 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook the shells to al dente. When you boil the shells, under cook them by 2 minutes because they will continue to cook later.
- Change up the cheese. Feel free to use cottage cheese that has been drained in place of the ricotta and shredded mozzarella instead of Italian cheese.
- Use a different meat. To avoid using red meat, use an equal amount of ground turkey, ground chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Add more veggies. Try adding spinach to the sauce. Let it wilt before spooning into the pan.
- Freezer Friendly. This recipe serves 8 people, so divide the shells into 2 - 8x8 pans. Bake one for dinner now and freeze one for later.
- Vegetarian Meal - Leave out the meat and increase the veggies in the sauce.
How to Freeze
Without Sauce: Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture. Place the shells on a parchment lined tray and freeze for an hour or two, then place the frozen shells in a freezer bag.
To cook, place the frozen shells in a pan with sauce and cheese and bake. They will need to bake about 10-15 minutes longer because they are frozen.
With Sauce: Freezing the stuffed shells in sauce is even easier. Make the shells and place them in an aluminum pan with the sauce and cheese. Do not bake it. Cover the pan with a layer of plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. You can bake it frozen, or you can thaw it overnight in the fridge first.
Make sure you remove the inner layer of plastic wrap BEFORE baking. The frozen shells and sauce will need to bake about 50-60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and cook another 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 517Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1063mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 37g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for classic stuffed shells was first published March 2020. The post was updated March 2023.
April
I made these today and they turned out so yummy!!! My husband had 2nds and he's not a pasta eater! Delish! 😋
I added about 8 oz of cottage cheese as I didn't have enough ricotta so I mixed that together, I also used 3 cheese spaghetti sauce and added in Colby with mozzarella, other than that I did basically what recipe called for and it turned out awesome! Thank you for a keeper!
Sasha
Made these stuffed shells last night and oh my goodness. So delicious. I added 4 oz of cream cheese because i just had it in my fridge!! And i didn’t have mozza so i used white cheddar and added some wilted spinach. Wow wow wow!!! This was my first time having stuffed shells! So yummy so cozy. Perfect winter meal! Having leftovers tonight, super excited! Thanks for a great recipe! (:
Kathy
Is Italian cheese Mozzarella, or can cheddar or Monterey Jack be used?
Ruby Taylor
Yum!!! Made this for our 38 year wedding anniversary. My husband is not a green pepper fan so I used red pepper instead of green pepper and only half of what it called for and Italian sausage instead of hamburger. My husband ate seconds and said he liked it better than his lasagna.
This made our anniversary special! I will be keeping this recipe.