THREE-CHEESE JUMBO SHELLS

Three-Cheese Jumbo Shells image

I love cooking, but I'm not into fancy gourmet foods. I think it's more challenging to make delicious, down-home foods like this beefy casserole with ingredients easily found in the refrigerator and on my pantry shelves. -Marjorie Carey, Alamosa, Colorado

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner

Time 1h20m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 cups water
2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
24 jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained

Steps:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles; drain. Stir in the water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and egg. Stuff shells with the cheese mixture., Arrange shells in a greased shallow 3-qt. or 13x9-in. baking dish. Spoon meat sauce over shells. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. Freeze option: After assembling, sprinkle casserole with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 442 calories, Fat 20g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 102mg cholesterol, Sodium 706mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 32g protein.