Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ricotta stuffed shells recipe: These simple stuffed shells are a sure crowd pleaser. Great for family dinners or events!
Ingredients
- 1/2 12 ounce box of jumbo shells
- 1 24 ounce jar of marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ounces ricotta (about 1/2 of a 32 ounce container)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella Plus extra to sprinkle on top
- 3/4 cup powdered Parmesan (or shredded, if you have it!)
- 1 tbsp pureed Italian herbs (the squeeze bottle, see notes at end of recipe)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Instructions For Ricotta Baked Stuffed Shells
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bring salted water in a large stock pot to a boil.
- Add the shells to the water and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
- While the shells are cooking, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 a cup of Parmesan and pureed Italian herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- When pasta is done, drain the shells and toss with a small coating of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Spray 13" x 9" glass baking dish or any sized dutch oven (see notes) with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in baking dish.
- Fill each shell with equal amounts of ricotta mixture. The shells should be stuffed enough that a little bit of the mixture is spilling out. You can use a piping method (see notes) or spoon the mixture in. When you finish one shell, place it in the baking dish with the open side facing up. Shells should be positioned close together.
- Top shells with remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with left over mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Notes
Tips:
- The Italian herb stir-in puree that I use is 'That's Tasty' Organic puree. Once opened, it lasts refrigerated for 6 months, so it has become an absolute must have in my fridge. I use it all the time when I don't have fresh herbs, and it tastes amazing. It includes oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram and other ingredients to make a fresh flavored, no mess puree.
- The 'baking dish' that I like to use in family style recipes like this is myLe Creuset Oval Casserole Dish. I find that aesthetically, I like to serve family style dishes in colorful cookware. I believe it adds a more 'homey' feel to the dish. I cooked the rest of my shells that did not fit in another casserole dish of a different color, so there is some variety on the dining room table!
- I tried the piping method by spooning the mixture into a zip lock bag and cutting the end of the bag with scissors...I found that this method technically worked, but I kept getting holes in my bag and filling was getting everywhere. I found that the simple method of spooning the mixture into the shell was actually a lot easier, and this is what I would recommend.
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