Best Italian Shells Casserole Recipes

STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Once the water comes to a boil, heavily salt the water and add in the shells. Cook for 9 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions state. Drain the pasta and allow it to cool slightly.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the filling by mixing together the ricotta egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
• Spread a 2-quart baking dish with 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan.
• Once the shells are cool enough to handle, stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture, about 1/4 cup filling per shell. Remember to not overstuff the shells, so that the shells can somewhat close around the ricotta filling.
• Top the shells with the remaining spaghetti sauce and then cover with the mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.

ITALIAN UNSTUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the tomatoes to a large bowl and use your hands to crush them into chunky pieces; set aside.
• In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the sausage and brown in large chunks until no pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Add about a third of the tomatoes to the skillet and stir to pick up any remaining browned bits. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, add the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, egg, garlic, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add the cooked pasta and sausage and gently mix.
• Add the pasta and sausage mixture to the skillet. Top with the remaining tomatoes and then the sliced mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with torn basil before serving.

ITALIAN SHELLS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook shells and drain (while waiting, go on to next steps).
• Brown ground beef and drain. Add salt, pepper, and marinara sauce. Simmer 20 minutes.
• In deep pan, line bottom with 1/2 of the shells. Cover with half of the meat sauce. Spread half of the sour cream lightly over and then sprinkle with half of both the cheeses. Repeat.
• Cover and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 20 minutes more.

ITALIAN PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add to beef mixture and gently stir in sliced plum tomatoes. , Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

ITALIAN STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, combine egg, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stuff shells with cheese mixture., Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange shells in a greased 13x9-in. or 3-qt. baking dish. Pour meat sauce over shells. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, adding remaining 1 cup mozzarella after 30-40 minutes and increasing time as necessary for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

MANICOTTI ITALIAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Pour in rigatoni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set pasta aside.
• Meanwhile, brown ground beef and italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, remove beef and sausage to a baking dish. Stir mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and cooked pasta into the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

ITALIAN STUFFED SHELLS ~ CASSIES

Steps:

• 1. In a med - large skillet, over medium heat - add ground beef and sausage, break up as it cooks. Continue cooking until no longer pink. Drain well.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place meat in a large bowl, and add cheeses, seasonings, fresh parsley and basil. Stir until well combined.
• 3. In a large greased baking dish. Pour enough sauce in to cover bottom of dish, by swirling or use back of spoon to spread.
• 4. Take prepared pasta and fill each shell with at least a heaping tablespoon of meat & cheese mixture or until filled completely.
• 5. Spoon about 1 tablespoon on sauce over each shell. More if you like them saucier.
• 6. Sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh grated Parmesan & parsley.
• 7. Place shells in rows, beside each other.
• 8. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to bubble. Watch them closely that you don't burn the exposed shell. These can be easily reheated, but in my opinion, they're best eaten fresh out of the oven.
• 9. Serve with a side of extra sauce, and a salad, with slices of nice crusty bread. Delish!

ITALIAN CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook onion and peppers over medium heat 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 4-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer Stir in water, tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Stuff into shells. Spread 1 cup vegetable sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. , Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN ONE STEP CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Remove casings from sausages and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place these into a 10x15-inch roasting pan. Layer the potatoes, carrots and onions over the sausages. Then pour the tomatoes over all. Season with salt, ground black pepper and oregano.
• Cover and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 60 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes.