Stuffed shells makes a simple, delicious, and comforting recipe. Large pasta shells are stuffed with a flavorful meat mixture and then baked with a rich tomato sauce.
1poundground beefor ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground venison
2teaspoonsdried basil
2teaspoonsdried oregano
1(28-ounce) cancrushed tomatoes
2(6-ounce) canstomato paste
1cupGreek yogurtor sour cream
1(8-ounce) packagecream cheeseor Ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
1 1/2cupsshredded Parmesan cheese
1cupgrated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prep. Preheat oven to 350º F. Spread 1 teaspoon of olive oil on 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
Cook pasta shells to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Cook vegetables and meat. Cook the onion and garlic until tender, about 3 minutes. Add and brown ground beef. Drain away any drippings.
Make the filling. Stir the cheeses and yogurt into the beef mixture.
Make the sauce. Meanwhile, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings to a saucepan and cook until heated throughout.
Assemble. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the filling mixture into each of the cooked pasta shells. Arrange in the baking dish.
Add sauce and bake. Top each of the shells with the remaining tomato sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes; remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
Serve. Stuffed shells are ready to serve or cool and store for serving later if making ahead.
Notes
Make ahead and Freezer Instructions:To make ahead (unbaked). Assemble the stuffed shells without baking. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator as the oven preheats. Bake as directed; you may need to add about 10 minutes to the baking time since the stuffed shells will be baking from cold rather than warm.To make ahead (baked). Cool and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Remove from the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or in the microwave until warm throughout.To freeze (unbaked). Assemble the stuffed shells in a freezer-safe baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as you would for the make-ahead unbaked directions.To freeze (baked). Bake in a freezer-safe baking dish. Allow to cool and then wrap tightly with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the oven or microwave until heated throughout.