Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef
These Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef are pure comfort food! Jumbo pasta shells are filled with creamy ricotta cheese, smothered in a rich meat sauce, and topped with gooey mozzarella cheese. It can be assembled completely in advance so it’s great for a cozy weeknight dinner or a special occasion!
One of my family’s favorite meals is my spinach and ricotta stuffed shells. They’re cheesy, comforting, and I love that I can assemble them entirely in advance.
These Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef were inspired by that recipe. The ground beef makes this meal extra hearty and gives it a big protein boost.
This recipe includes a few components, but they’re all very quick and easy. While the meat sauce simmers away, the jumbo shells are cooked a couple minutes less than the package directs. (This prevents the shells from breaking apart!)
The shells are then stuffed with a creamy, flavorful ricotta filling and baked until golden brown on top.
The best part is that the entire dish can be assembled up to a day in advance, or even frozen. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights, dinner parties, or holidays.
It doesn’t get better than a baked pasta dish for a crowd pleasing meal. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Beef and ricotta stuffed shells are easy to assemble and require just 20 minutes of hands-on prep.
- This is a freezer-friendly meal that can be fully assembled and baked off later.
- It’s a flexible recipe that can be made with any ground protein you prefer, from Italian sausage to ground turkey.
- It’s a family-friendly dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights and dinner parties alike.
Recipe ingredients
This recipe calls for just a handful of basic ingredients, most of which I keep stocked in my pantry.
- Jumbo pasta shells. Be sure to larger sized shells as they hold more filling. Cook them 1 to 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Overcooking (and over stirring) the pasta will cause the shells to break.
- Ground beef. I like to use 1.5 lbs. of grass fed ground beef, but you can certainly get away with using 1 lb. Add 8 ounces of chopped mushrooms or your favorite cooked veggies to bulk up the meal as desired. The ground beef can be substituted with Italian sausage or ground turkey as well.
- Marinara sauce. My homemade marinara sauce is rich and thick, and can be made entirely in advance. You can also use your favorite store bought brand, or use my homemade meat sauce with red wine and mushrooms instead.
- Aromatics. Onion and garlic add even more flavor to the meat sauce.
- Ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese is a bit bland and grainy in texture on its own, so it’s important to add an egg for creaminess and structure and to add fresh basil and parmesan cheese for flavor.
- Egg. Adding an egg improves the texture of the ricotta (it is a bit grainy) by adding richness. It also provides structure, which keeps the ricotta filling from being runny.
- Parmesan cheese. Adds cheesy, umami flavor to the filling.
- Basil. Freshly chopped basil adds great flavor to the stuffed shell filling. Sub fresh with about 1 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning as desired.
- Mozzarella cheese. Provides the gooey, cheesy topping. For best meltability, grate the cheese yourself.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
The meat sauce and ricotta filling can both be prepared in advance, or you can assemble the entire dish up to a day in advance and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it!
Pro tip: Cover the stuffed shells with foil in just the last 10 minutes of baking. This keeps the cheese from burning and the shells from drying out.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
Prepare the meat sauce for stuffed shells
- In an oiled skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until it’s just barely pink. Then, add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion has softened. Drain excess grease as desired.
- Add the marinara sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Spread half of the meat sauce into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Assemble the stuffed shells and bake
- In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, fresh basil, and egg.
- Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture.
- Place the stuffed shells into the baking dish, then top with the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella before baking.
Recipe FAQs
You can use a small spoon to stuff the shells (if you cooked them just until al dente as instructed, they shouldn’t fall apart while you’re stuffing them).
Or, transfer the ricotta mixture to a zip-top bag, snip off the corner and use it to pipe the filling into the shells.
Definitely! You can fully assemble this recipe in a freezer- and oven-safe baking dish (such as a foil pan), wrap tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can bake the shells from frozen, noting that the bake time will need to be increased.
Let the shells cool before wrapping tightly and refrigerating. You’ll need to enjoy them within 3 days.
Serving suggestions
A simple side salad and a piece of bread for mopping up the meat sauce rounds out this meal perfectly!
- Both this butter lettuce salad and massaged kale salad come together quickly and pair nicely with the meaty shells.
- We also love serving this dish with roasted green beans or air fryer broccoli.
- Make a batch of 1-hour focaccia for a full Italian-inspired feast.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip:Â Prepare the meat sauce in advance or assemble the entire dish up to a day in advance and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it!
- Sub the ground beef with your favorite ground meat, such as turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Add some greens to your meal by using the spinach and ricotta filling from my spinach and ricotta stuffed shells!
- Store stuffed shells with ground beef in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More easy pasta recipes you’ll love
- Skillet lasagna
- Stove top mac and cheese
- Pesto mushroom ravioli
- One pot Italian sausage pasta
- Sausage and red pepper pasta
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 6 ounces jumbo shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lbs. grass fed ground beef I used 82% lean
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store bought brand
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil sub with your favorite fresh herbs
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- chopped fresh basil for serving; optional
Instructions
- Cook the jumbo shells according to package instructions. Drain well in a colander, then spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.6 ounces jumbo shells
- Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and break it into chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes or until almost cooked through, then add the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes longer until the onion has softened. Drain excess grease as needed.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1.5 lbs. grass fed ground beef, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from heat.3 cups homemade marinara sauce
- Grease a 9×13" baking dish and spread half of the meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
- Place the ricotta cheese in a medium bowl. Add the egg and stir well to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and basil and stir until incorporated.15 ounces ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
- Fill each jumbo shell with the ricotta mixture and place the stuffed shells in the baking dish with the meat sauce. Cover the shells with the remaining meat sauce, then top with the mozzarella cheese.2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- Bake covered with foil for the first 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Serve topped with freshly chopped basil as desired and enjoy!chopped fresh basil
Notes
- Pro tip: Prepare the meat sauce in advance or assemble the entire dish up to a day in advance and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it!
- Sub the ground beef with your favorite ground meat such as turkey or Italian sausage.
- Add some greens to your meal by using the spinach and ricotta filling from my spinach and ricotta stuffed shells!
- Store stuffed shells with ground beef in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
