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Close up of 3 stuffed pasta shells on marinara sauce and side salad

Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells

Jumbo cheese stuffed pasta shells are stuffed with three cheeses! Ricotta , cream cheese and mozzarella and topped with parmesan cheese.  Adding to the ‘easy’ we nestled the stuffed shells in a layer of jarred marinara sauce and baked them to a delicious creaminess. Yum!
4.91 from 11 votes
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 404kcal
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. box of dry jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 jar 24 oz. marinara sauce (your favorite)
  • 12 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 15 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 8 oz. 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 oz. 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells to the al dente stage, about 7 minutes.  Drain the cooked shells in a colander and rinse with cold water.  Return the shells to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep from sticking together. 
  • Coat a 9x13-inch ovenproof casserole dish with non-stick oil spray.  Add all of the marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish.  Set aside.
  • In a medium-size bowl and using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and the egg together, add the ricotta cheese and blend until smooth.  
  • With a spoon or spatula, stir in the garlic, basil and the Mozzarella cheese until evenly blended.
  • To fill the shells:  Hold a shell open and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the shell.  Add a teaspoon or more of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the top, pressing to adhere to the filling.  Place the filled shell in the dish of sauce, repeat with the remaining shells.  
  • Cover the dish with foil and transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil, turn the heating unit to ‘broil’ and cook for another 3-4 minutes to brown the cheese.  
  • Serve hot with a garnish of chopped basil or parsley.

Notes

  • When boiling the pasta shells, do not overcook them as they will be easier to fill with a spoon and they will continue cooking in the sauce.
  • Tossing the cooked, unstuffed shells with a bit of olive oil will prevent them from sticking together.
  • Use a standard tablespoon to fill the shells.  
  • Alternatively, place the cheese stuffing into a large closable plastic food bag, clip off the corner and pipe the stuffing directly into the shells.  

Nutrition

Serving: 3 | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 491mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g