Garlicky Stuffed Shells Recipe
Create this amazing recipe when you are in the mood for great Italian food but want to serve it in a way that has great style! This is a gorgeous presentation, showy and impressive! But surprisingly, it’s simple and straightforward to make! It is much less labor-intensive than making lasagna but just as delicious!
Here’s What You Will Need:
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
- 1 clove garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil
- Tre Stelle® Extra Smooth Ricotta Cheese
- Tre Stelle® Grated Romano Cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 regular size jar prepared pasta sauce
- 1 12-ounce box large pasta shells
You’ll also need a skillet to brown the beef and make the sauce, a deep pot to boil the pasta, a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, non-stick cooking spray, and aluminum foil.
While the pasta is boiling, stir up the cheese mixture and make the delicious sauce. Here are some excellent pointers for how to cook pasta perfectly. You’ll be surprised and pleased with how quickly this all goes together!
The spinach is mixed right in with the Ricotta cheese and a beaten egg to make the vibrant, rich, colorful, and yummy filling! Bellisimo!
Brown and crumble the ground beef. Drain any excess fat if needed. Add pasta sauce and stir until the mixture is heated through.
Pour a little bit of the sauce in the bottom of a greased 9″ by 13″ baking dish. Next, put a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each shell and arrange them in the pan, filling side up. Then, spoon the delicious sauce on top, cover the pan with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Finally, uncover the dish and bake another 10 minutes or so to brown the cheese lightly.
Garlicky Stuffed Shells
Make these Garlicky Stuffed Shells when you are in the mood for great Italian and a more festive presentation!
Ingredients
- 12-ounce box large pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- One 14-ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil
- 15-ounce container of Ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water, boil the pasta shells until “al dente.” Drain and rinse well.
- Combine the spinach, garlic, ricotta, beaten egg, and basil in a medium bowl. Stir well. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Brown the ground beef and break into crumbles. Add pasta sauce to the beef and rinse the jar out with a little bit of water, so you get every bit of sauce. Heat and stir until the mixture is heated through.
- Spread ½ cup of the pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9”x 13” baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoonful of the Ricotta mixture.
- Arrange the shells in the baking dish, filling side up. Spoon the remaining pasta sauce over the pasta shells and sprinkle with Romano cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cover from the baking dish and bake for an additional 10 minutes until lightly browned.
Are you wondering what to serve with this incredible dish? Stuffed shells are robust and filling, so the side dishes should be simple and light. Any fresh green vegetable would add to a lovely plate, or a simple, crisp tossed salad of mixed greens with a light oil and vinegar dressing or classic Italian dressing. Crisp croutons would add delicious crunch!
You can never go wrong with some warm Italian bread or crisp garlic or cheese toast for a perfectly delightful Italian feast! But, if you serve dessert, it should be something light and refreshing. Sherbet would be a lovely touch, or Pineapple Delight might make a perfect finale!
MORE QUICK AND EASY FAMILY-STYLE RECIPES:
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You forgot the steps for making the sauce.
You are right! Thank you for pointing it out. Thanks to you, the post is now corrected.