Description
Million Dollar Stuffed Shells combine creamy, cheesy goodness with a savory meat sauce, wrapped in jumbo pasta shells for a cozy and crowd-pleasing baked pasta dish that's perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shell pasta, about 24 shells
Sauce
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup diced onion, about half a medium onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought (about 1 24-ounce jar)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Million Dollar Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese or whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the jumbo shell pasta according to package directions until al dente, or slightly undercook by a few minutes to prevent overcooking in the oven. Drain and rinse the shells with cold water to stop cooking. Toss lightly with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage for 7-10 minutes until fully browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain excess grease. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Prepare Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, 1 ⅓ cups of shredded mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth and well blended.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread about three quarters of the sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Stuff each cooked shell with roughly 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling and arrange the filled shells in a single layer over the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake and Rest: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped fresh parsley or basil, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- For extra flavor, use homemade marinara sauce if possible.
- To save time, the meat sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
- You can substitute cottage cheese with whole-milk ricotta cheese for a smoother texture.
- Undercooking the pasta shells slightly helps them maintain their shape and texture after baking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
