Traditional Stuffed Shells

Traditional stuffed shells are large pasta tubes filled with a creamy ricotta and cheese mixture, then baked in tomato sauce until the pasta is tender and the filling sets. The shells stay firm enough to hold their filling while the sauce bubbles around them, and the top browns slightly where it meets the oven heat.

Ingredients for Traditional Stuffed Shells

Jumbo pasta shells hold the filling without tearing. Whole milk ricotta makes the filling creamy and mild. Mozzarella cheese, grated from a block, melts smoothly without the graininess that pre-shredded cheese brings. Parmesan cheese adds sharp flavor and helps the filling set. An egg binds everything together. Salt, black pepper, and dried Italian seasoning season the filling. Marinara sauce provides the tomato base. A 9×13 baking pan gives the shells room to sit in one layer without crowding.

Why This Traditional Stuffed Shells Works

Undercooking the pasta shells by one to two minutes keeps them from turning mushy during the bake. They will finish cooking in the oven as they absorb moisture from the sauce, so if you cook them all the way to tender now, they will be soft by the time the dish comes out of the oven.

The ricotta filling sets as it bakes because the egg acts as a binder. Without it, the filling stays loose and can separate or leak out into the sauce. The egg also helps the cheese mixture stay together when you cut into the finished casserole.

Spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan before adding the shells keeps them from sticking. The remaining sauce covers the tops and sides as they bake, and it bubbles at the edges to signal that the dish is done. The filling reaches a safe temperature throughout, so the casserole is ready to serve straight from the oven.

Mistakes To Avoid

Cooking the shells all the way to tender before filling them makes them too soft. They break apart when you handle them and turn to mush in the oven. Undercook them by a minute or two so they have a slight firmness left and will reach perfect tenderness as the casserole bakes.

Using pre-shredded mozzarella makes the filling grainy and gritty instead of creamy. The starch coating on the shreds prevents them from melting smoothly. Grate fresh mozzarella from a block on a box grater for a smooth, cohesive filling.

Filling the shells too loosely or too lightly lets the mixture fall out into the sauce during baking. Spoon or pipe the ricotta firmly into each shell and pack it down so the filling stays in place and the shells hold their shape.

Baking uncovered from the start dries out the top before the filling is set. The shells and filling need steam in the first half of baking to cook through, so cover the pan with foil for the first 25 minutes, then uncover to brown the top for the last 15 to 20 minutes.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound jumbo pasta shells
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated from a block
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 24 ounces marinara sauce

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta shells and cook for 9 to 10 minutes, until just barely tender with a slight firmness in the center. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. While the pasta cooks, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a bowl until combined.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
5. Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of ricotta mixture using a piping bag or spoon, pressing gently so the filling stays in place.
6. Arrange the filled shells in a single layer in the pan, open side up. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over and around the shells.
7. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a shell reads 165°F (74°C).
9. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.