Meaty Stuffed Shells Recipes

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells according to package directions to al dente; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups Italian cheese blend, Parmesan cheese, pesto, egg and half of the beef mixture., Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture into pasta shells; place in baking dish. Combine remaining beef mixture and spaghetti sauce; pour over shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes.
• While the shells are cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatless ground beef and cook and stir until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes; add spinach and simmer until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and mix in ricotta cheese and egg until fully incorporated.
• Pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread out with the back of a large spoon.
• Drain cooked shells. Stuff each with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the "meat" mixture. Arrange in the skillet or baking dish. Pour remaining marinara over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning and more black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. , Spread about 1 cup of spaghetti sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Fill shells with beef mix; place in pan. Top with the remaining spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink.

Steps:

• Brown ground beef and drain. Return to pan.Saute onions and garlic in pan with cooked meat for approximately 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Boil salted water to cook the pasta shells according to package al dente style. Strain and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix ricotta, parmasan, and 2/3 package of shredded mozzarella. Add italian seasoning, garlic pepper, eggs and milk and mix thoroughly. Mix in meat and spinach.
• In a large baking dish, pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan lightly. Fill each shell with large rounded tablespoons of meat and cheese mixture, and place in pan. Be sure to closely place the shells together so they don't get hard while baking.
• *If there are too many shells for one pan, make a secong and store tightly covered in freezer until later use.
• Pour remaining sauce evenly over all of the shells. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. Take foil off pan, and bake additional 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Place the frozen spinach on a plate and defrost in the microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes.
• Wring the spinach dry in a clean towel.
• While the spinach is in the microwave, preheat the oven to 425° and, in a large covered pot, bring the water to a boil for the shells.
• Salt the boiling water and cook the shells for 6-7 minutes; they should still be firm at the center; drain.
• Drizzle them with oil and set aside in a shallow baking dish.
• While the pasta is working, brown the meat over medium to med-high heat in 1 tablespoon oil.
• Add the chopped garlic and onions to the meat; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and cook the mixture for 5 minutes more.
• Transfer the meat to a bowl; add the spinach and mix them together.
• Add the egg, bread crumbs, and half the cheese and combine.
• Fill the shells with the meat mixture and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, then bake for 11-12 minutes to set the filling in the shells and crisp the pasta at the edges.
• While the shells bake, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a small pot over low heat with the halved garlic clove and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove the garlic, add the red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute more, then stir in the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the basil.
• Pour 1/2 cup of sauce on each dinner plate and top it with 4 shells.

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
• Cool in single layer on foil or wax paper.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown meat; drain.
• In large bowl, stir together meat, eggs, bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese (if desired), onion, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons meat filling.
• Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
• Place filled shells in prepared baking dish; cover with remaining sauce.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.