Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Comfort in a baking dish… our Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe is the perfect back to school dinner, and also great for cozy holiday meals! Plus, crockpot instructions.
Jumbo Stuffed Shells
Are you looking for a pasta dish that always brings a smile to the faces of children and grownups alike? Something that is classic and comforting, the perfect meal to end any sort of day??
Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe with Marinara. BOOM.
Stuffed Shells are simple. Completely void of elegance. Yet this humble dish delivers a big impact on the dinner table!
Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
This Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe is creamy, cheesy, savory, and offers a touch of spice.
I’d bet money even your pickiest eaters will ask for seconds.
Plus, our Easy Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe is quick to make. My kids love to chip in and fill the pasta shells for me as I whip up fresh marinara sauce.
But don’t worry… In a pinch, you can definitely use your favorite jarred marinara sauce.
Ingredients for Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Jumbo pasta shells – Jumbo shells can be filled properly
- Homemade marinara – Or store-bought, like Rao filled with Italian seasoning!
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Egg
- Italian parsley
- Fresh rosemary – In a pinch, you can use dried rosemary.
- Nutmeg
- Crushed red pepper
- Salt and black pepper
How To Make Stuffed Shells
Making Ricotta Stuffed Shells is so easy. Even your non-cooking spouse could do it!
- Simply boil (or soak) the dried pasta shells by package instructions.
- Mix the ricotta filling in a large bowl.
- Scoop the ricotta filling into the shells.
- Place the shells in a baking dish/casserole dish.
- Smother the shells with marinara sauce and shredded cheese.
- Bake!
Get The Full (Printable) Easy Stuffed Shells Recipe Below
No-Boil Stuffed Shells Recipe
Do you have to boil the pasta before baking it?
Not exactly… Boiling the pasta is the quickest method to ensure the pasta, filling, and sauce come out perfectly.
However, if your oven takes a bit of time to preheat, you can soak the pasta in very hot tap water, instead of boiling it. Fill a bowl with hot salted tap water and let the pasta soak for 20-25 minutes while the oven preheats and you make the cheese filling. Then drain the pasta shells before filling.
Baked Dried? Some old lasagna and baked pasta recipes suggest you can skip boiling (or soaking) the pasta altogether, by adding 1 cup of water to the baking dish with dried pasta.
I don’t recommend trying this with stuffed shells. The water will cause the filling to leak out and turn runny before it is fully absorbed.
Easy Stuffed Shells In The Crockpot
Believe it or not, you can make this amazing Stuffed Shells Recipe in a Slow Cooker!
To make Crockpot Stuffed Shells, you do need to boil or soak the pasta as directed. Then stuff the shells, place them in a large slow cooker, and cover them with marinara and cheese.
Set the slow cooker on low, and cook for 5-7 hours.
Step by Step Instructions to Make Classic Stuffed Shells
- Lightly oil or spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Partially cook pasta shells in water, 4-6 minutes. Strain the shells and lay them in the pan. (See no-boil instructions in notes.)
- Mix the ricotta, parmesan, egg, parsley, rosemary, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and crushed red pepper together in a medium bowl. Fill each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture.
- Spoon the sauce on and around the shells. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 25 minutes. If you want the cheesy top golden, take the foil off the last 3-5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your cheesy stuffed shells on their own or with a plethora of sides, especially if you’re feeding a crowd! Here are some of my favorites to pair with vegetarian stuffed shells:
Tips & Tricks
- Add some spinach! You can add chopped spinach for spinach ricotta stuffed shells!
- Use your favorite store-bought pasta sauce, or make your own homemade marinara!
- These stuffed shells are vegetarian, but if you prefer you can add a meat sauce instead! Add ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork to the sauce.
- Don’t skimp on the cheese! The beauty of these shells is the combination of three cheeses that adds so much flavor!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Freeze Stuffed Shells?
This Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe is easy to freeze. Try making a double or triple batch. Then wrap the pans and put them in the freezer (unbaked) for another night. You’ll be so glad you did!
When you are ready to use them, you can thaw and bake each dish for 25-30 minutes, or place the frozen dish in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Ricotta Stuffed Shells for the win!
How Long Do Leftovers Last?
You can store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for 3 to 5 days.
Do I Have To Use Marinara Sauce in a Jar?
If want to make your own Homemade Marinara tomato sauce? Use my recipe for Homemade Marinara Sauce; it’s delicious!
Can I Add Protein?
Classic stuffed shells don’t usually contain meat, but you can totally add some if you’d like! You can cook ground Italian sausage, ground beef, or even ground turkey and add it to the cheese mixture. Or you can mix it into the marinara.
More Comforting Stuffed Shells Recipes
More STUFFED Recipes You Will Love
- Muffuletta Stuffed Chicken
- Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Confetti Quinoa Stuffed Chicken
- Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Peppers
- Slow Cooker Pizza Stuffed Peppers
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, sodium, and fiber percentages.
Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (half of a 12-ounce box)
- 3 cups homemade marinara, or 24-ounce jar
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Lightly oil or spray a 9 X 13 inch baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Partially cook the pasta shells in water, 4-6 minutes. Strain the shells and lay in the pan. (See no-boil instructions in notes.)
- Mix the ricotta, parmesan, egg, parsley, rosemary, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and crushed red pepper together in a medium bowl. Fill each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture.
- Spoon the sauce on and around the shells. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 25 minutes. If you want the cheesy top golden, take the foil off the last 3-5 minutes.
Notes
- No-Boil Pasta Shells: Don’t want the extra step of boiling the pasta? Soak the shells in a large boil of hot salted tap water while you preheat the oven and make the ricotta filling. They need to soak for at least 20-25 minutes. Then drain off the water and stuff! When you add the marinara to the baking dish, pour it directly over the top of the shells. Cover and bake as directed.
- Homemade Marinara: Want to make your own tomato sauce? Use this recipe!
- Crockpot Stuffed Shells: To make this recipe in the slow cooker, boil (or soak) the shells. Then stuff the shells and place them in a slow cooker. Cover with marinara and cheese. Cook on low for 5-7 hours.
- Freezing: Stuffed shells are easy to freeze. Make a double batch and wrap some up for next week! Baked from frozen for 50+ minutes.
Where did the chicken Parmesan stuffed shell recipe go??
Hi Kim,
Sorry about that! We are taking some recipes down to revamp and repost. In the meantime, here is that recipe:
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells
servings: 6
Ingredients:
US Customary – Metric
3 cups homemade marinara or store-bought
24 jumbo dried pasta shells
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, use up leftovers
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the marinara in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, drop the pasta shells into the water and cook for 6-7 minutes, until almost cooked through. Drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, place the ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Then stir in the chopped chicken.
Spoon the ricotta mixture into the shells. One at a time, dip the top (open side) of each jumbo shell in melted butter, then roll the top in panko bread crumbs. Place the shells panko-side-up in the baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes in the center of the oven. (If the bread crumbs aren’t turning brown by the 15 minute mark, turn the boiling on high for the last 3-5 minutes.) Remove the baking dish from the oven. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each shell. Then bake (at 400) for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve warm.
serving: 1serving, calories: 601kcal, carbohydrates: 41g, protein: 33g, fat: 33g, saturated fat: 18g, cholesterol: 141mg, sodium: 1449mg, potassium: 697mg, fiber: 3g, sugar: 7g, vitamin a: 1510iu, vitamin c: 9.3mg, calcium: 491mg, iron: 3.4mg
What a delicious and comforting meal! It was a hit with everyone in my house, thank you for sharing!
This is my new comfort food! These ricotta stuffed shells are so comfy and incredibly delicious. Such a keeper!
The ultimate comfort food. Thank you for making this so easy to prepare, my whole family loved it!
Hi! Newbie here – when you say boil (or soak) boil meaning cook the pasta shells all the way? The soak part had me a bit confused since soaking in my mind wouldn’t be cooking the shells. Thanks!
Hi June!
A long soak in hot water gives dried pasta a jump-start when you plan to bake it in sauce… Or you can partially boil it, so it is still firm, but halfway cooked. The pasta doesn’t have to be cooked all the way before baking, since it will soak up the liquid in the sauce and continue to cook fully as it bakes. Does that help?
ABSOLUTELY DELICIIOUS!!! I made Vodka Sauce instead of Marinara with this recipe and it was terrific.
This was easy, very easy but more importantly it’s really good. My husband, who grew up in Baltimore, said it tasted just like what you get in little Italy.
Cheesy stuffed shells are the best!!! All that gooey cheese. Such a great dinner idea too.
Delicious and easy! Love the fresh rosemary!
So cheesy! I love it.
This was delicious! Thank you!