These 4-Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells are incredibly delicious and a favorite vegetarian meal for Meatless Monday. They’re made with ricotta, cottage, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese and are the perfect dinner to take to a friend or put in the freezer for another day.
Cheese Stuffed Shells Pasta Bake
This Cheese Stuffed Shells pasta bake is a comfort food classic and a great vegetarian recipe. It’s perfect for meal trains because it’s easy to make and freezes well. Stuffed shells is one of a few meals that actually tastes just as good after being frozen.
If you have some extra tomatoes from the garden or want to make this meal extra special, try this homemade marinara sauce. It is amazing and really kicks this dish up a notch. Or if you’re looking for a delicious side for this recipe, check out the Garlic pull Apart Bread . It’s made with this incredible Garlic Butter.
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Four Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells Video Tutorial
Key Ingredients
- Jumbo Pasta Shells – you’ll need one package of the jumbo pasta shells for this recipe.
- Ricotta Cheese – full fat or lite ricotta will both work.
- Cottage Cheese – cottage cheese is actually amazing for pasta bakes. If you don’t have any you could also just substitute more ricotta.
- Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated tastes best.
- Mozzarella Cheese – you can use pre shredded mozzarella cheese or fresh.
- Eggs – any kind of large eggs will work great.
- Dried Parsley – just a little bit of dried parsley actually adds quite a bit of flavor.
- Salt and Pepper
- Nutmeg – this is one of those secret ingredients that you don’t necessarily realize is in a lot of cheese pasta recipes. But it really balances out the flavors.
- Marinara Sauce – you can use your favorite brand of store bought marinara or use homemade marinara sauce.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Be sure the pasta is not overcooked. You want it to be al dente– cooked firm to the bite. It will finish cooking when the pasta bakes. (My pasta shells suggested cooking them for 10 minutes in boiling water. I cooked them for 8 minutes, which was about right for this recipe.
- Combine the ricotta cheese in a large bowl with the cottage cheese, half of the parmesan, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until combined. Stir in the eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Spread 1/2 Cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13″ baking dish (This will prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan)
- Fill the jumbo pasta shells using a piping bag, (if you don’t have the frosting bags, you can also use a small spring-loaded cookie scoop to fill the shells.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 min. Remove the foil for 10 minutes and bake until the cheese is golden.
- Let the pasta bake rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips
- Use 2 disposable 9 by 9 aluminum pans when cooking for a smaller crowd.
- If you know you will be freezing these, add an additional 1/2 cup of marinara sauce to the top of the stuffed shells to keep them really saucy when they’re baked. They can be a little dry if you don’t add a little extra marinara.
- Freeze these stuffed shells before you bake it.
- Write the date and “stuffed shells” on the foil so it’s easily identified in the freezer.
- This recipe can be frozen for up to 2 months in a regular kitchen freezer and up to 4 months in a deep freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stuff each shell with filling and arrange stuffed shells in baking dish. Spoon any remaining sauce over the shells where needed. If freezing: Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Clearly label and keep in freezer for up to 3 months in a regular freezer and up to 6 months in a deep freezer.
No need to defrost the stuffed shells before baking. Simply remove any plastic wrap on the stuffed shells and then replace the aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the pasta bake is bubbling and the cheese is melted on top. Remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Yes but it’s best to freeze before baking and then follow the tips to bake the stuffed shells when froze. If you have baked stuffed shells and they have been frozen, thaw the shells and then re-heat in the oven , covered with foil, for 20 minutes or until all the cheese is bubbly again. Add additional mozzarella cheese if desired. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or till cheese is golden.
No need to thaw the stuffed shells before baking.
Storing and Freezing
- Freezing- Make according to directions and then freeze before baking. Cover the stuffed shells with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to a couple of months.
- Preparing after Freezer– Remove the plastic wrap from the frozen shells and then re-cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 70 minutes or until bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-145 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Cheese Stuffed Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups marinara sauce, (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain the cooking water, toss the shells with olive oil, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, half of the Parmesan, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir until combined, then mix in the eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- In a 9" x 13" baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom, and arrange the cooked pasta shells in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Transfer the cheese filling to a piping bag and cut off the tip. Fill each shell, then cover with the remaining marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes and bake until the cheese is golden.
- Once cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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These 4-Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells are incredibly delicious and a favorite vegetarian meal for Meatless Monday. They’re made with ricotta, cottage, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. They are the perfect dinner to take to a friend or put in the freezer for another day.
