Cheese Stuffed Shells are super easy to make and quickly turn into a family favorite. This is one of those dinners that gets clean plates, requests for seconds, and immediate asks to put it on the menu again soon.
I love a good pasta dish, and these are about as easy as it gets. They look impressive, taste like classic comfort food, and somehow always earn compliments, even though the effort level is very low. That’s my favorite kind of recipe.
All you do is boil the jumbo shells while mixing up the cheesy filling. Scoop the filling into the shells, spoon marinara over the top, add a little extra cheese, and bake until bubbly. That’s it. No fancy steps, no stress.
These are also great for making ahead. Assemble everything, freeze, then thaw and bake when you need an easy dinner. Future you will be very grateful.
Try my Mexican Stuffed Shells and my Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells too!
Update: This recipe was originally published in January of 2009 (not a typo!) It was republished with updated photos in November of 2021.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Super easy to make. No culinary degree required!
- Delicious. My whole family loves these. Trust me.
- Freezable and easy to make ahead.
What is the difference between manicotti and stuffed shells?
The shape of the pasta is the only difference. Manicotti are pasta tubes, and shells are just large pasta shells. Both are meant to be stuffed with fillings, and are cooked similarly.
What are Stuffed Pasta Shells called?
It Italy, they are called Conchiglie Ripiene al Forno.
What to serve with Stuffed Shells
A green salad like my favorite Arugula Salad or Kale Salad goes great with any pasta dish. You also can’t go wrong with garlic knots or homemade garlic bread.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
How to make Stuffed Shells
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped: Cook the jumbo shells according to package directions. Once cooked (not all the way through, they’ll cook more in the oven), drain and set aside to cool a little. Rinse the shells with cold water after cooking to help the cooling process go faster. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the filling: Add the ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, parsley and garlic to a large bowl, and mix well. Add the egg, and salt and pepper to taste (I suggest a good pinch of each) then mix until well blended.
Stuff the shells: Add a little marinara sauce to the bottom of your baking dish, just enough to coat the surface. Stuff the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, and line them up in the baking dish.
What is the best way to stuff shells?
I use a dessert spoon, but when stuffing manicotti or I’m trying to be fancy, I use a pasty bag or zip lock bag (cut the corner off and squeeze the filling into shells).
Pour remaining marinara sauce over the top, and sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and devour.
Troubleshooting Guide – Common Problems and Solutions
- Shells are tearing or falling apart. They were likely overcooked, so cook the jumbo shells just until al dente and stir gently while boiling to keep them sturdy.
- The filling feels too thick or stiff. The ricotta is probably dense or cold, so let the cheeses sit at room temperature and mix again, adding a small splash of milk or marinara if needed.
- The shells are watery after baking. Ricotta can release moisture, so draining it briefly in a fine mesh strainer before mixing helps prevent excess liquid.
- The shells dried out in the oven. There may not have been enough sauce or the dish baked uncovered too long, so fully cover the shells with marinara and keep the pan covered for most of the bake time.
- The cheese on top browned too fast. The oven may run hot or the dish was too close to the top rack, so loosely cover with foil and continue baking.
Kylee’s Notes
When cooking the shells, don’t cook them until they are super soft. They’ll cook more in the oven, and you want them to be intact for stuffing, not floppy and easy to tear.
What to do with leftovers
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
You could add a little Italian seasoning to the cheese filling, I suggest 1 teaspoon to start with.
You may use cottage cheese in place of the ricotta if you that is what you have on hand. I like to blend it a little with a fork to make the curds smaller.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen before baking. Cover tightly with foil and wrap with plastic wrap. Freeze. On cooking day just remove from the freezer and bake, adding 20 minutes onto the cooking time if baking from frozen.
More delicious Stuffed Shells Recipes:
- Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Shells. Large pasta shells, stuffed with ricotta, spinach, Italian sausage, and more cheese, these stuffed shells are a make-ahead/freezer cooking DREAM.
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells (with Broccoli). A great make-ahead dinner, (or make it on the fly) this delicious recipe is super easy to prepare.
- Mexican Stuffed Shells. Mexican Italian fusion at its best! These delicious Mexican stuffed shells are packed with flavor and please the whole family.
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Classic Cheese Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 large pasta shells
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded, divided)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced, can sub 2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
Directions
Get prepped
- Cook the 24 large pasta shells according to package directions.Once cooked (not all the way through, they’ll cook more in the oven), drain and set aside to cool a little. Rinse the shells with cold water after cooking to help the cooling process go faster.Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the filling
- Add 15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3/4 of the 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of the 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, and 2 garlic cloves to a large bowl, and mix well. Add 1 egg, and salt and pepper to taste (I suggest a good pinch of each) then mix until well blended.
Stuff the shells
- Add a little marinara sauce to the bottom of your baking dish, just enough to coat the surface.Stuff the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, and line them up in the baking dish.Pour remaining marinara sauce over the top, and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. (24 ounces marinara sauce in total)
Bake
- Bake for 30 minutes.Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and serve.
- Devour.
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Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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