June 25, 2021

Crazy Good Classic Stuffed Shells

These classic stuffed shells Crazy Good are creamy, gooey, high-carb comfort foods at their best !

This family favorite recipe includes perfectly cooked shells, a savory tomato sauce and the most delicious ricotta filling ! Sure to become one of your favorite pasta dishes !

Stuffed shellfish recipe

Another day, another baked pasta recipe! And today, we offer you a great Italian classic : stuffed shellfish! In fact, I polled you on Instagram last week to ask if you'd rather see baked ziti or stuffed pasta shells here on the blog, and the vote was 50/50. So obviously I had to do both! It's hard work...but someone has to do it

So without further ado, let's dive into these gloriously cheesy stuffed shells! In fact, you might want to get your baking dish out and preheat the oven first…because I have a feeling you're making these for dinner tonight!

What are stuffed shellfish?

Stuffed shells are basically a super cheesy baked pasta dish, quite similar to baked lasagna or ziti. And it's perfect for those nights when you crave Italian comfort food!

Make the sauce...

But for this recipe, we keep things classic! But don't let the word classic fool you into thinking it means simple or boring! Because it definitely isn't. This recipe features an incredibly delicious homemade marinara sauce made with onion, olive oil , garlic, crushed tomatoes, and lots of fresh basil. And the cheese filling includes creamy ricotta cheese, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Plus some finely chopped herbs and spices like salt and pepper.

Do not overcook the pasta shells!

Do not, I repeat, do NOT overcook your pasta shells. In fact, I want you to undercook them! Boil them in a large pot of salted water for exactly 5 minutes, then drain well and dry gently. The shells will still be relatively hard, but just soft enough that you can stuff them. This is good, because they will continue to cook in the oven. And they will come out perfectly cooked once the cooking is finished! Trust me here...no one wants a soggy plush shell!

stuffed shell

How to assemble:

Pour 1 and 1/2 cups of sauce into the bottom of your baking dish.
Stuff each shell with a tablespoon or two of the cheese filling and nest the shells in the sauce as close together as possible.
Pour the rest of the tomato sauce. Then sprinkle with mozzarella.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling! Serve hot!

I like to sprinkle my shells with chopped fresh parsley and a little parmesan, but that's completely optional!

Can I do it in advance?

Sky yes! You can fully assemble these stuffed shells and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking! You can also put it in the freezer for up to 2 months. That said, if you're considering doing any of the prep options I mentioned, I'd only boil your noodles for 3 minutes. It just ensures that your noodles don't get too soft when they sit in the sauce.

Healthy, easy and quick, this recipe is perfect for filling your Lunch Box!

You now know how to make our Delicious Crazy Good Classic Stuffed Shells with truffles and raspberries! So why not share them around you? for a birthday party, a picnic or any occasion that comes to mind, consider the Lunch Box to transport your brownies. Thanks to it, it will keep longer and remain intact during the trip.

On our MaLunchBox website we offer a wide range of Lunch boxes