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Baked Beef-Stuffed Pasta Shells

A hearty baked dish featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy beef and ricotta mixture, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pasta shells
  • 12 oz jumbo pasta shells
For the filling
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese reserved half for topping
For the sauce
  • 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese remaining mozzarella for topping

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Cook the jumbo pasta shells in a large pot of salted water until they are slightly firm. Drain and set aside to cool.
  2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with diced onion and minced garlic until the meat is browned and the onions are soft.
  3. Transfer the cooked beef mixture to a bowl. Add ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and half of the shredded mozzarella. Mix until well combined.
  4. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce in a baking dish.
  5. Fill each pasta shell with the beef and cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
  6. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
Baking
  1. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
  2. Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

For an extra nutritious twist, mix fresh spinach into the filling. You can replace the ground beef with Italian sausage for a richer flavor. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated the next day, where flavors deepen.