These Stuffed Shells are one of those dishes that instantly makes you feel at home. It’s rich and cheesy, baked until golden and bubbling, and easy enough for a weeknight while still special enough for company. The recipe calls for using creamy ricotta, gooey Havarti or mozzarella, and a touch of red pepper flakes for just the right kick.
It’s the kind of baked pasta meal that brings people to the table fast — and keeps them asking for seconds.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a crowd-pleasing kind of meal: It can feed a family — or it doubles perfectly for parties.
- It’s Ultra-cheesy: There is ricotta, mozzarella, Havarti, and Parmesan in every bite.
- It’s a comfort food classic: There’s a creamy filling, bubbling sauce, and golden edges.
- It’s make-ahead friendly: Assemble it early in the day, store in the refrigerator and bake before serving.
This recipe comes from Ree Drummond’s new cookbook: The Pioneer Woman Cooks- The Essential Recipes. The book contains 120 of her greatest recipes, all perfected and ready to make again and again. I’m such a fan of all of Ree’s cookbooks, and many of her recipes have become repeat favorites in our house. We also tried the Chicken Salad from this cookbook, and it’s quite delicious! I can’t wait to make her Cowboy Breakfast Burritos, Sherried Tomato Soup, Potato Leek Pizza, White Chicken Enchiladas, Short Rib Beef Stew, Crunchy Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Cajun Pork Tenderloin, Perfect Potato Rolls and Burgundy Mushrooms. Everything looks so delicious!
Ingredients
- jumbo pasta shells
- salted butter
- marinara sauce
- ricotta cheese
- large eggs
- grated Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- fresh Italian parsley
- grated Havarti or mozzarella cheese
How to Make Pioneer Woman’s Stuffed Shells
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Warm the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the marinara over medium heat.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley, and 2 cups shredded cheese. Stir until smooth.
- Fill the shells: Spoon the filling into a large zip-top bag or piping bag, snip off a corner, and pipe the mixture into each cooked pasta shell.
- Assemble: Arrange the shells (open side up) in the buttered dish. Spoon the marinara sauce over the top, leaving some shells slightly uncovered so the edges crisp.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese and Parmesan.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling and browned.
- Serve: Sprinkle with more parsley and serve warm and gooey!
Recipe Tips
- Use a piping bag (or zip-top bag): It makes stuffing shells so much easier!
- Make it ahead: Assemble up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
- Mix up the cheeses: Havarti adds creaminess; mozzarella adds stretch.
- Add-ins: Try sautéed spinach or cooked Italian sausage for variation.
- For Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days, covered tightly. Or freeze baked or unbaked shells for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until warm.
What to Serve With Stuffed Shells
Pair this hearty dish with something light and fresh. I suggest garlic bread and a caesar salad. And for dessert? Try chocolate chip cookies or lemon bars!
More Recipes for Stuffed Shells:
Author’s Note:
“Ree and I have been blogging friends for a couple of decades, and her recipes always strike that perfect balance between comfort and simplicity. This stuffed shells recipe is one of those dishes that reminds you why we fell in love with cooking in the first place — it’s cozy, cheesy, and makes the whole kitchen smell incredible.” – RecipeGirl
Stuffed Shells
Equipment
- 1 9×13-inch casserole dish (for baking the shells)
Ingredients
- salted butter, for the baking dish
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 4 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divide
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 cups grated Havarti or mozzarella cheese (or a mix of both), divided
- 24 jumbo pasta shells, cooked to al dente and drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the marinara over medium heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, 1 cup of the Parmesan, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley and 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Mix until completely combined.
- Then spoon it into a gallon size plastic zipper bag (or a large piping bag), twisting the open end several times. Snip the end of the bag and pipe the ricotta mixture into each pasta shell until full but not overflowing. Place the stuffed shells in the prepared baking dish, with the open sides facing up.
- Spoon the sauce over the shells, leaving little areas here and there where the shells and cheese can peek through. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve gooey and warm!
Notes
- Use a piping bag (or zip-top bag): It makes stuffing shells so much easier!
- Make it ahead: Assemble up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
- Mix up the cheeses: Havarti adds creaminess; mozzarella adds stretch.
- Add-ins: Try sautéed spinach or cooked Italian sausage for variation.
- For Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days, covered tightly. Or freeze baked or unbaked shells for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
