These Sausage Stuffed Shells are cozy, comforting, and bursting with flavor. Filled with a creamy cheese sauce and sausage, they're the ultimate comfort food. Trust me, you'll want to make them for dinner every week.
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Sausage Stuffed Shells
I love having pasta for dinner, especially when it's loaded with gooey cheese. Stuffed pasta dishes always bring a huge smile to my face, and the more cheese, the merrier!
Our children enjoy these stuffed shells with meat, so I created a new stuffed pasta with Alfredo sauce for dinner this week.
These shells are stuffed with sausage and cheese and then topped with a creamy white sauce. They got two thumbs up all around our dinner table!
Why You'll Love Stuffed Shells with Alfredo Sauce
- Cheesy pasta is a classic comfort food. This easy dish will make your entire family feel warm and cozy.
- You can make it ahead of time. Prepare the dish the day before, then pop it in the oven. It's an easy meal for a busy weeknight.
- The meal is freezer-friendly. It can be frozen, making it a perfect meal for busy days or for sharing with loved ones.
Main Ingredients
Our Alfredo stuffed shells recipe uses basic ingredients and a few store-bought items to save on prep time.
- Jumbo Pasta Shells - One box of shells is enough for this recipe, with some extra to spare in case of breakage or tears.
- Sweet Italian Sausage - This particular sausage has added seasoning that gives the dish a good flavor. If you want some heat, use a spicy or hot Italian sausage.
- Ricotta Cheese - One whole container creates the cheesy base for the filling. Full-fat cottage cheese with small curd will also work.
- Veggies - I love the flavor combination of fresh spinach and roasted red peppers. It's also a great way to add some color to the dish.
- Alfredo Sauce - I prefer a creamy white sauce with the sausage. You can also use marinara, tomato sauce, or your favorite spaghetti sauce.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese - Freshly shredded cheese melts more easily, but pre-shredded bagged cheese can be used conveniently. You can also experiment with different kinds of cheese, such as Pepper Jack or Smoked Gouda.
How To Make Sausage Stuffed Shells
These sausage Alfredo stuffed shells can be on your table in about 30 minutes. Here are some tips to help keep you on track.
- Boil the shells. Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling, then cook the shells to al dente. After boiling, drain the noodles and rinse them with cool water. Place them on a wire rack to avoid sticking together.
- Cook the sausage. Place the sausage in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until cooked. Use a wooden spoon to cut into smaller pieces, then drain the grease.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, chopped spinach, diced tomatoes, and brown sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the shells. Spoon the sausage mixture evenly into cooked pasta shells. Spread sauce in the dish, put in shells, add more sauce, then top with shredded cheese.
- Bake and serve. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a preheated oven until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.
What Goes Best with Stuffed Shells
Our favorite way to enjoy these Alfredo shells is with a side salad and a loaf of garlic bread. Here are a few other good options for a complete meal.
Storage Recommendations
In the Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked shells in an airtight 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.
How to Freeze Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are an excellent meal to make ahead and share with others. You can freeze them in two ways.
Without Sauce
Place the filled shells on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for an hour or two, then place the frozen shells in a freezer-safe bag.
Place frozen shells in a pan with sauce and cheese, and then bake. Because they are frozen, they must bake for 10-15 minutes longer.
To cook thawed shells, place in the pan with sauce and cheese and bake until hot and bubbly.
With Sauce
Place the filled shells in a disposable aluminum pan with the 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.
Remove the inner layer of plastic wrap before baking. The frozen shells with sauce should bake for about 50-60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Buy jumbo shells. Before cooking, the shells will look small, but they grow when boiled. It's best to cook extra shells if they tear or fall apart.
- Cook the shells to al dente. When you boil the shells, undercook them. The pasta will be firm to the bite and continue to cook when you bake it.
- Use a different meat. Instead of pork sausage, you can use ground turkey, shredded chicken, or ground beef.
- Keep it from sticking. Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick baking spray so the cheese topping doesn't stick as it melts.
- Brown the top. Turn the broiler on for a few minutes to toast the top of the cheese and give it a crispy finish.
FAQs
You can fill manicotti tubes or spread the filling onto cooked lasagna noodles and then roll them up.
This recipe requires cooked sausage, so you cook it in a skillet before adding it to the cheese mixture.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Cheesy Chicken Pasta
- Ham and Broccoli Pasta
- Chicken Ravioli
- Parmesan Shrimp Scampi
- Cheeseburger Tortellini
- Tomato Basil Pasta
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Recipe
Sausage Stuffed Shells
These Sausage Stuffed Shells are cozy, comforting, and bursting with flavor. Filled with a creamy cheese sauce and sausage, they're the ultimate comfort food. Trust me, you'll want to make them for dinner every week.
Ingredients
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 - 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1 cup diced roasted red peppers
- 1 - 15 ounce jar Alfredo sauce
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 diced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a 9x13 pan with baking spray.
- Cook the pasta shells in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place the shells on a wire rack, so they don't stick together.
- While the shells are cooking, cook the Italian sausage in a skillet until done. Drain any grease.
- Mix together the garlic, ricotta, spinach, cooked sausage, and red pepper. Fill the shells with the mixture.
- Spread ½ cup of the Alfredo sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the stuffed shells in the pan and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for 2 minutes, if desired. Serve immediately with green onion.
Notes
- Buy jumbo shells. Before cooking, the shells will look small, but they grow when boiled. It's best to cook extra shells if they tear or fall apart.
- Cook the shells to al dente. When you boil the shells, undercook them. The pasta will be firm to the bite and continue to cook when you bake it.
- Use a different meat. Instead of pork sausage, you can use ground turkey, shredded chicken, or ground beef.
- Keep it from sticking. Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick baking spray so the cheese topping doesn't stick as it melts.
- Brown the top. Turn the broiler on for a few minutes to toast the top of the cheese and give it a crispy finish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 843mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 23g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first published in March 2017. It was updated and then republished in April 2024.
Kathleen
Made this because it looked and sounds amazing! My sausage did NOT cook while baking 🙁 might want to cook the sausage a little first before filling shells
Kathleen
It ended up being REALLY REALLY tasty and my husband and son LOVED it!! Thanks for sharing this recipe ♥️
Jocelyn
The ingredient list calls for cooked Italian sausage, so yes, it should be cooked completely before adding it to the shells. I'm glad your family enjoy them.
Victoria
This looks really yummy. I just love a creamy alfredo sauce. Can't wait to try this.
cakespy
This reminds me that I have not had stuffed shells in suuuuuch a long time! Sausage alfredo looks like a great way to bring them back into my life. 🙂
Amy
Oh my son is going to be happy with your recipe. He loves Alfred! And shells are a nice change!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
Stuffed shells are always a hit around here! These sound like a perfect weeknight dinner!
ColleenB.~Texas
Love stuffed pasta shells with all most any kind of filling. Will be making this for a next weeks meal.
Thank U