Easy Beef Stuffed Pasta Shells (Cheesy Weeknight Dinner)

Very close up view of three stuffed pasta shells on a white plate.

5 from 5 votes

Easy Beef Stuffed Pasta Shells (Cheesy Weeknight Dinner)

These easy beef stuffed pasta shells are a cheesy, hearty dinner made with ground beef, pasta shells, and jar sauce. Perfect for a simple weeknight meal the whole family will love

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Resting Time5

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: ground beef stuffed pasta shells

Servings: servings of 3 shells each

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Mindy Boyd

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 clove garlic minced
1 egg
1 container ricotta cheese 15 ounces
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
24 jumbo pasta shells
1 jar pasta sauce 24 ounces
Cooking spray
½ cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add pasta and cook 10 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.
24 jumbo pasta shells
Meanwhile cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until brown, about 7- 10 minutes. When the meat is almost finished add the garlic.
1 pound lean ground beef, 1 clove garlic
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9" X 13" baking dish with cooking spray and put enough pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish so that it covers the surface, probably about a cup, depending on the size of your dish.
1 jar pasta sauce, Cooking spray
In a large bowl combine the meat, egg, ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
1 egg, 1 container ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Use a table spoon to fill the shells and place them into the prepared baking dish in a single layer, spoon remaining sauce over shells. Cover with foil.
1 jar pasta sauce
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly, uncover and add remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese; cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
½ cup mozzarella cheese
Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cook the pasta shells to about ⅔ of the package time (usually around 10 minutes). This keeps them firm enough to fill and prevents them from getting mushy while baking.

Nutritional information is approximate.

Nutrition