Stuffed Shells With Ground Beef

Content… Jumbo Shells Made for Stuffing Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Ideas Make-Ahead Tips What to Serve More Decadent Cheesy Recipes

Jumbo Shells Made for Stuffing

The Italians have made every form of pasta you can imagine and then some. Have you ever made mac and cheese with shell macaroni instead of the traditional elbow shape? It’s so much fun to switch out the shapes for the kids.

Even cooler is the shell-shaped pasta (conchiglioni in Italian) that’s big enough to fill with all sorts of goodies, like an inside-out lasagna. While my stuffed shells recipe with ground beef has a specific sauce, you can stuff them with almost anything.

Ingredients to Have on Hand

1. Jumbo Pasta Shells – No stuffed pasta without pasta you can stuff, right? However, you can use regular pasta if you want to layer a casserole dish instead.
2. Ground Beef – I chose lean ground beef, but you could also use ground turkey, pork, lamb, or chicken. It’s all good.
3. Seasonings – Onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, and basil provide the classic Italian flavor.
4. Sauce – Tomato paste and spaghetti sauce blend for a satisfying sauce perfect for smothering ground beef.
5. Spinach adds flavor and nutrition.
6. Cheese – Topping your stuffed shells with grated mozzarella and Parmesan creates soul-satisfying umaminess.
7. Garnish – Fresh parsley to sprinkle on top is beautiful and delicious.

How to Make Stuffed Shells With Ground Beef

• Preheat oven to 400℉ (205℃). Cook pasta shells per package instructions. (Photo 1)
• Cook Beef – While the shells are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground beef until evenly browned, 2-3 minutes. (Photo 2)
• Sauce – Add the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, tomato paste, ½ cup of spaghetti sauce (reserving the rest), salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, and add the fresh basil and spinach. Cook until wilted. (Photos 3-8)

• Stuff – When the shells and the meat sauce are ready, place the shells face up into a large baking dish. Stuff 1½ tablespoons of meat mixture into the opening of each shell. Then, spoon the reserved spaghetti sauce on top. (Photos 9-11)
• Bake – Mix the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan and sprinkle it on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheeses melt and start to brown. (Photo 12)
• Serve – Remove from heat and let the stuffed shells rest for about 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve hot.

Other Shell Stuffing Ideas

1. Classic ricotta. Stir a cup of ricotta cheese into the ground beef right before stuffing for a tasty upgrade.
2. More cheese. You can replace grated parmesan cheese with pecorino romano or feta. Fontina, Gruyere, Provolone, and Monterey Jack are all amazing in a cheese mixture.
3. More flavorful add-ins. Sauteed mushrooms, diced pepperoni, sausage, chopped olives, diced peppers, and roasted vegetables all love showing up for the stuffing party.
4. Tuna stuffed shells. Mix tuna, celery, mayo, shredded carrots, and peppers, then stuff cooked shells. They’re great for summer picnics and luncheons.
5. Time saver. Cook the smaller shell pasta, then layer the pasta, ground beef, sauce, and grated cheese. Bake as usual for a fast lasagna-style dinner.
6. Gluten-free. For your gluten-free friend, get a package of corn tortillas and make them like enchiladas. Fill the tortilla with the stuffing and roll it into a tube. Put a little sauce in the baking dish and line it with your “enchiladas.” Cover it with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle it with the grated cheese. Bake as usual, and enjoy.

Make Ahead Tips

I usually assemble pasta shells stuffed with ground beef ahead in the casserole and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours. Then, come dinner time, I pop them in the oven and bake them as directed. Easy peasy dinner for busy weeknights! 😉

Shortcut

• For a fast make ahead, you can stuff uncooked shells. They won’t hold as much filling, and they’ll absorb more liquid, so you’ll want to make extra sauce.
• Fill the shells and arrange your casserole the same way. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake as the recipe indicates. The pasta should cook to al dente in the oven.

To freeze stuffed shells, assemble them in an oven-proof casserole dish and cover them with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap against them and removing as much air as possible. After that, cover it with aluminum foil and freeze it for 3-4 months.

Thaw your stuffed shells in the fridge overnight or bake them frozen (remove the plastic wrap and foil). Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (180℃) for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until it’s bubbling and the cheese lightly browns.

What Goes With Stuffed Shells

Pasta loves homemade bread. Garlic bread, garlic knot bread, or easy dinner rolls are all excellent choices. To make it healthier, add a Caesar or Greek salad.

More Decadent Cheesy Pasta Recipes

Can’t get enough of cheesy pasta nights? I’ve got loads of them for you to choose from; perfect for weeknight dinner or entertaining!

1. Baked Ziti
2. Easy Lasagna
3. Ground Beef Casserole
4. Chicken Spaghetti
5. Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
6. Chili Mac and Cheese

This blog post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos