96% would make again
Meatball Stuffed Shell Pasta
featured in 7 Nights of Pasta
These jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with flavorful meatballs and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Baked in a rich tomato sauce and loaded with herbs, it's a comforting and delicious dinner that the whole family will love.
Tasty Team
May 15, 2023
Inspired by plainchicken.com
Ingredients
for 4 servings
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (455 g)
- 1 lb ground pork (455 g)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (50 g)
- ½ cup dried minced onion (75 g), fine
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (25 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (10 g), finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper, to taste
Ricotta-Herb Mixture
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (425 g)
- ½ cup fresh basil (20 g), chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley (20 g), chopped
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (110 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 12 oz jumbo pasta shell (340 g), cooked according to package instructions
- 32 oz marinara sauce (905 g)
- parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
- fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Take a walnut-sized portion of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining meat and transfer to an oiled wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Make the ricotta-herb mixture: combine the ricotta cheese, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Stuff a tablespoon of ricotta mixture into a jumbo shells, then stuff a meatball into the shells.
- Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch (23x33-cm) casserole dish, then lay in the stuffed shells. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the marinara sauce is warm.
- Top with chopped basil.
- Enjoy!
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Inspired by plainchicken.com