Description
Beef Stuffed Shells are a hearty, comforting dish packed with flavor. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with savory ground beef and mozzarella cheese, then baked in a homemade marinara sauce. It’s a family-friendly dinner that feels cozy and satisfying. Enjoy this cheesy beef stuffed shells recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 box (12 oz) jumbo shell pasta
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 block (16 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the beef is browned and the onion is softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Drain excess grease from the skillet.
- Add Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to the beef mixture. Stir well.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook for 5-8 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the prepared casserole dish.
- Fill each cooked shell with the beef mixture and about 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Arrange the filled shells in a single layer over the sauce in the casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining meat mixture and sauce over the filled shells.
- Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.
- Serve warm. Garnish with parmesan cheese and/or chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Onion: Use yellow or sweet onion for milder flavor, or white onion for a zestier taste.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is recommended, but jarred chopped garlic or garlic paste can be substituted.
- Cheese: Shredding cheese from a block provides the best creamy melt. Pre-shredded cheese contains an anti-caking agent that affects melting.
- Ground Meat: Ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage can be used instead of beef, or in combination.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 719 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 1477 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 60 g
- Cholesterol: 153 mg