Quick & Easy Stuffed Shells
If you asked me which was more work, lasagna or stuffed shells, up until a year ago I would have said stuffed shells. But I’ve since changed my mind about that. The truth is, stuffed shells were something I hadn’t bothered with because I thought they would be more time-consuming and take more effort. I always made lasagna by default. But last fall, while I was living at my sister-in-law Jen’s, she made stuffed shells for dinner one night, and I helped her. I was outright amazed by how quick they are to assemble.
A few of the ways stuffed shells have got it going on over lasagna:
- The jumbo shell noodles are easier to handle than lasagna noodles. For the shells, you just cook them (which takes less time, because they’re smaller), rinse them in cool water and let them drain (lasagna noodles are big and awkward, don’t really work in a colander, and have to be dried), and stuff them.
- They’re easier to get into the pan. Lasagna noodles are slippery-slidey, and spreading the cheese mixture on over a layer of them without getting the cheese into the tomato sauce is practically impossible.
- They stay together better. I don’t know about you, but my lasagna always seems to start sliding apart the second you put a slice of it onto a plate and everything just kind of falls apart into an indistinguishable mess from there. Yummy, yes. Attractive, no. (I’ve decided that this is why restaurants bake lasagna in individual serving dishes.) Stuffed shells, on the other hand, keep the cheesy filling safely contained and they nestle next to each other on a plate very nicely.
- They’re kid-friendly and easy to serve in a small portion. Trying to give L a helping of lasagna that suits her is incredibly challenging. But with stuffed shells, I can just scoop out one or two, and she can easily pick them up in her little hands.
- They bake faster. Since the shells are pre-cooked and are smaller, they bake more quickly than lasagna, especially the no-boil noodles (which aren’t really a shortcut – let’s face it, they just take twice as long in the oven. Who does Barilla think they’re fooling?).
So these days, stuffed shells make it onto my weekly dinner menu before lasagna. Another highlight is that they can be made ahead: simply assemble up to the point of baking, and refrigerate for a day or two. Stuffed shells also make for a fabulous Sunday dinner – because they can be assembled the day before, then popped into the oven whenever you want, they’re a great meal option for a relaxing Sunday.
I don’t think I’ve made lasagna even once since I started making these. Same ingredients, same flavors, different format. It takes me just over an hour to get a pan of these on the table, which is pretty much my cut-off for a weeknight dinner.
Quick & Easy Stuffed Shells
1 batch of Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Meat (if you have any left over, just freeze in a zippered plastic bag)
1 pound of jumbo shell noodles
10 ounces ricotta cheese, full-fat or low-fat
1/2 cup grated parmesan (not the powdered stuff)
1 large egg
A few sprigs of chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1-2 cups sliced or shredded mozzarella
Place a large pot of lightly salted water over high heat so that it will come to a boil while you get the sauce ingredients going in another pan. By the time you have the meat and onion cooked and the tomatoes added, your pasta water should be boiling. Turn the heat under the sauce down to medium-low or low, to keep it at a gentle bubbling simmer. Stir occasionally.
When the water is boiling, cook the shells according to the directions on the package. When they’re al dente, drain and rinse with cool water in a colander.
In the meantime, while the shells are cooking and the sauce is bubbling away, mix up the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, egg, and parsley until fully combined.
Preheat the oven to 375°.
When the shells are cool enough to handle and the excess water has evaporated (a few gentle shakes of the colander helps get excess water to run off), they’re ready to fill.
In the bottom of a large casserole dish, spread a generous layer of the meat sauce.
To fill the shells, take a shell in your hand and gently spread apart the sides. Use a regular spoon to scoop some filling inside. Don’t overstuff them – they should be full but still able to close.
Lay the filled shells in the pan as you go, on top of the layer of sauce, seam side up. You may not have neat and tidy rows, which is fine. Just keep nestling them in together until you can’t fit any more in the pan or until you run out of filling. I usually have a few noodles left over, and I just toss them.
Top with another generous layer of sauce.
Add a layer of mozzarella, as much as you like.
Cover with a tented layer of foil (tented so that the cheese doesn’t stick to it). Place in the preheated oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serves 8. Goes nicely with a green salad for extra veggies.
P.S. (1) If you want to get two dinners out of one batch of these, simply put together in two 8″ x 8″ baking dishes. Wrap one well in several layers of plastic wrap, and freeze. (2) For a vegetarian version, use meatless sauce instead.
Here’s the printable recipe.
Question: What’s your favorite make-ahead dinner? Leave a comment below – I’d love to know!
One more thing to note…they are great for when you are having company from out of town and you aren’t sure exactly what time they will arrive, they feed a lot of people especially if you serve garlic bread and a salad so it’s a easy company meal or a meal to take to someone in need AND they are great warmed up! OK, so that was more then one thing, lol.
Thanks for the great additional tips, Jen!
Love this idea! I have always been a lasagna maker myself and in fact bought the ingredients for another batch today. Next time, shells! I have never tented my foil but I wanted to pass on that if you spray your foil with Pam or olive oil, it won’t stick! Which is what I do. Best, Heather G
Love the idea of spraying the foil, Heather! Thanks!