Cheesy Stuffed Shells create amazing flavors in this quick and easy cheesy pasta dish of creamy ricotta and mozzarella stuffed shells topped with Susan’s Super Simple Marinara Sauce.
Ingredients for Cheesy Stuffed Shells with Susan’s Super Simple Marinara Sauce:
Use the following ingredients for the sauce: No salt tomato sauce, minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, onion salt, freshly ground black pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Use the following additional ingredients for the shells: Jumbo shells, homemade ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and dried oregano.
Making Susan’s Super Simple Marinara Sauce:
Pour tomato sauce into a large pot. Add minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, onion salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients and cook over medium high heat until sauce begins to bubble, but not boil.
Reduce heat to low, place top on pot and simmer until ready to use. Just before you’re ready to use the sauce, remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Use a whisk to incorporate cheese into sauce.
Making the Cheesy Filling for the Shells:
For the cheesy filling, combine the ricotta cheese, 2 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, minced garlic, and dried oregano in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process the cheese mixture for about 10 seconds, until everything is thoroughly mixed.
Putting the Cheesy Stuffed Shells Together:
Cook shells according to the package instructions, minus one minute of cooking time. Drain the shells and rinse them in cold water to stop them from cooking. Dry the shells thoroughly. Spread about ⅓ of the prepared tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Next place the ricotta cheese mixture in a piping bag with a large star tip, then pipe the filling into the shells. Place shells open side up, and close together in the baking dish.
Once the shells are filled, top them with the remaining marinara sauce, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Then cover the pan with aluminum foil. Place them in a preheated 375° F oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes remove the foil. Then return the shells to the oven and bake them for an additional 10 minutes. After 10 minutes they should be nice and bubbly. Removed the shells from the oven and let them stand for about 10 minutes before serving them.
We served the cheesy stuffed shells with Caesar salad and crusty french bread. It was absolutely delicious! As an added treat, it produced incredible leftovers. Yum!
Cheesy Stuffed Shells with Susan’s Super Simple Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
Susan's Super Simple Marinara Sauce
- 29 ounce can of Tomato Sauce, no salt added
- 1 ½ Tablespoons (5 to 6 cloves) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Shells
- 12 ounce package jumbo shells
- 3 cups ricotta cheese preferably homemade
- 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
Susan's Super Simple Marinara Sauce
- Add tomato sauce, garlic, basil, oregano, onion salt, and freshly ground black pepper to medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring after each addition. When sauce begins to bubble, adjust seasonings as necessary. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to use, stirring occasionally. Right before using, whisk in Parmesan cheese. Yield: 3 ½ cups.
Shells
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Add ricotta cheese, 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, and oregano to bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Process for 10 seconds, or until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
- Cook shells in boiling water with 1 teaspoon added salt for 1 minute less than indicated on package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and thoroughly drain.
- Spread ⅓ of Marinara sauce on bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- Fill piping bag fitted with large star tip (1M or larger) with cheese mixture. Pipe cheese mixture into shells. Place shells, open side up close together in pan. Spread remaining Marinara sauce over shells. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese, and ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated 375° F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Yield: 6 servings.
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