Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells
🛒 What You’ll Need:
- The Shells: 1 box (12 oz) Jumbo Pasta Shells. 🐚
- The Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef. 🥩
- 1 jar (24 oz) Marinara or Pasta Sauce. 🍅
- 1/2 Onion (diced). 🧅
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced). 🧄
- The Creamy Filling:
- 1 container (15 oz) Ricotta Cheese. 🥣
- 1 Egg (beaten, to bind the filling). 🥚
- 2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (split). 🧀
- 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese. 🧀
- 1 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning. 🌿
- Fresh Parsley (chopped). 🌿
👨🍳 Step-by-Step Preparation:
- Prep the Shells: Boil the jumbo shells in salted water according to the box directions, but cook them al dente (slightly firm) so they don’t fall apart. Drain and set aside. 🐚🔥
- Sizzle the Sauce: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Drain the grease, stir in your pasta sauce, and let it simmer for a few minutes. 🥩🍅🌪️
- Mix the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, beaten egg, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and parsley. 🌪️🥣🧀
- Stuff & Layer: Spread about 1 cup of your meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Fill each cooked shell generously with the cheese mixture and nestle them into the sauce. 🥘🥄✨
- The Cheesy Finish: Top the shells with the remaining meat sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. 🧀🍕
- Bake to Perfection: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. ⏳🔥🎉
✨ Why You’ll Love This:
This dish is a nutritional winner for anyone craving a high-protein, savory meal. It’s a fantastic example of diverse comfort food that looks stunning for your social media feed or website publication! 🤩🎉
