Best Baked Stuffed Shells Recipes

BAKED STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• In an 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook shells for 8 minutes or until al dente.
• Drain and cool immediately with cold water.
• Drain and place open side down on paper towels.
• In a medium bowl, combine the rest of ingredients except the spaghetti sauce.
• Reserve the 1/4 cup of Mozzarella.
• Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 12 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spoon the cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan.
• Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells.
• Loosely cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
• During last 5 minutes of baking, remove foil and sprinkle remaining Mozzarella cheese on top.
• Bake 5 more minutes.
• Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

BAKED SAUSAGE-STUFFED JUMBO PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F (220C)
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells until tender, but firm; about 14 minutes. Drain and set aside for future use.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat; cook onion, green pepper and garlic until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in sausage, egg and parsley.,
• Place 1 heaping tbsp mixture in each of the shells. Arrange in greased, 8 inch glass baking dish.
• In a bowl, stir together tomatoes, oregano and salt Spoon over stuffed shells.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses; cover and bake in 425F oven for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake further 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and instant read, digital thermometer inserted in the centre of shell registers 160°F.

BAKED CHEESEBURGER-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Cool 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Stir in Cheddar cheese.
• In small bowl, mix tomato sauce, ketchup and mustard. Spread in baking dish.
• Use spoon to stuff beef mixture into shells; arrange in tomato sauce mixture in baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over all.
• Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes.
• Top with remaining ingredients.

BAKED PASTA SHELLS STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a very large saucepan, gently fry the garlic and onion in the oil for about 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add the tomato purée and refill the cans with water about three-quarters full, giving them a shake to mop up any tomato. This will give you about 4 1/2 cups water. Add it to the pan. Bring the sauce to the boil and then partially cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
• Soak the fresh spinach in the sink to get rid of any mud, drain, and then cook in just the water that's still clinging to the leaves until it has wilted down and cooked through, then drain well and chop roughly (you can just go at it with scissors while it's sitting in the colander). If you're using frozen chopped spinach, make sure - once it's thawed - that you've pressed out every last bit or water; you can.
• Empty the ricotta into a bowl, add the eggs and then grate in about 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of the Parmesan. Add the spinach when it is cool, squeezing out (again) any excess water with your hands, then stir everything together and season it well with the nutmeg and salt and pepper.
• Cook the pasta shells in a large pan of water, for about 5 minutes once they have come back to the boil, then drain and leave them to get cool enough for you to stuff them without burning your fingers. Tip the shells into a dish, of approximately 15 x 13 inches, so that they lie in a single layer, then fill each shell with a heaped teaspoon of the spinach and ricotta filling. Ladle the tomato sauce over the pasta, and grate over the remaining Parmesan.
• Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes, by which time the pasta will be tender and the light tomato sauce hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let stand for a while to cool down slightly before serving.

BAKED STUFFED SHELLS (CONCHIGLIE RIPIENE AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to one day. Discard the liquid in the bowl.
• Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. (If you don't have a food mill, seed the tomatoes and place them in a food processor. Process the tomatoes, using quick on/off pulses, until they are finely ground. Don't overprocess, or you'll incorporate air into the tomatoes and change their texture and color.) Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Slice half the mozzarella thin and cut the remaining half into 1/4-inch cubes. Turn the drained ricotta into a mixing bowl. Mix in the mozzarella cubes, grated cheese, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Beat the egg well and stir it into the ricotta mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Lower the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully pour them into the skillet. Add the crushed red pepper and season lightly with salt. Bring the sauce to a quick boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir the basil into the sauce a few minutes before it is done.
• Meanwhile, stir the shells into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but still quite firm, about 7 minutes. Fish the shells out of the water with a large skimmer and carefully lower them into a bowl of cold water. Drain them carefully.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the bottom of a 15-10-inch baking dish with about 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not overstuffed. Nestle the shells next to each other in the baking dish as you fill them. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, coating each one. Arrange the slices of mozzarella in an even layer over the shells. Bake until the mozzarella is browned and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BAKED STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. For sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Carefully add undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil and oregano (if using), and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until desired consistency. Remove from heat; stir in snipped fresh basil and oregano (if using). Set aside 3/4 cup of the sauce; spoon the remaining sauce into a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. For filling: Place tofu in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Add egg, Parmesan cheese, and pepper; cover and blend or process just until combined. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the filling into each pasta shell. Arrange filled shells, filling sides up, atop sauce in baking dish. Spoon the reserved 3/4 cup sauce over top. Bake, covered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with shredded fresh basil.

BAKED CHEESEBURGER-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Cool 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Stir in Cheddar cheese.
• In small bowl, mix tomato sauce, ketchup and mustard. Spread in baking dish.
• Use spoon to stuff beef mixture into shells; arrange in tomato sauce mixture in baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over all.
• Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes.
• Top with remaining ingredients.

CONCHIGLIE RIPIENE AL FORNO-BAKED STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth lined sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours up to one day. Discard the liquid in the bowl.
• Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. (If you don't have a food mill, seed the tomatoes and place them in a food processor. Process the tomatoes, using quick on/off pulses, until they are finely ground. Don't overprocess or you'll incorporate air into the tomatoes and change their texture and color.) Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Slice half the mozzarella thin and cut the remaining half into ¼-inch cubes. Turn the drained ricotta into a mixing bowl. Mix in the mozzarella cubes, grated cheese and parsley. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Beat the egg well and stir it into the ricotta mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Lower the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully pour them into the skillet. Add the crushed red pepper and season lightly with salt. Bring the sauce to a quick boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir the basil into the sauce a few minutes before it is done.
• Meanwhile, stir the shells into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, but still quite firm, about 7 minutes. Fish the shells out the water with a large skimmer and carefully lower them into a bowl of cold water. Drain them carefully. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 15 x 10-inch baking dish with about ¾ cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not over stuffed. Nestle the shells next to each other in the baking dish as you fill them. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, coating each one. Arrange the slices of mozzarella in an even layer over the shells. Bake until the mozzarella is browned and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove and let stand 5 minutes before serving.