Ricotta Stuffed Shells - Homemade Hooplah (2024)

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

What ingredients are in ricotta stuffed shells?

To begin crafting this hearty dish of cheese-filled jumbo shells, you’ll need to have the following ingredients ready:

• Jumbo Shells: A large variety of pasta shells, ideal for stuffing with fillings like cheese. Ensure you have 18-22 whole shells for this recipe.
• Marinara Sauce: A tomato-based sauce seasoned with herbs. Ultimately, you can use any type of red sauce that you’d like, both store-bought or homemade.
• Whole Milk Ricotta: A creamy, mild cheese made from whole milk, contributing to the rich filling of the shells.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: A soft, meltable cheese that adds gooeyness and flavor to the stuffing.
• Large Eggs: Used as a binding agent in the cheese filling to help it set while baking.

Should you shred your own cheese?

Pre-shredded cheese can be extremely convenient, but it contains some preservatives (such as potato starch) that help keep the shredded cheese separated in the bag. And while this is great for using a quick pinch of shredded cheese, it will also cause the melted cheese to appear lumpy or harden faster than usual.

So, if you’re a cheese lover like me and want the creamiest experience possible for your stuffed shells,I highly recommend shredding a ball of mozzarella It’s more work, but the improved consistency is well worth the effort.

What other fillings can you add?

While this recipe is designed for ultra-indulgent cheese-filled shells, it’s easy to make a few adjustments to customize them to your tastes.

First, Reduce The Cheese

In order for any extra fillings to fit, you’ll need to reduce the cheese mixture as follows:

• Ricotta Cheese: Reduce from 2 cups to 1 cup.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Reduce from 2 cups to 1 cup.
• Eggs: Reduce from 2 eggs to 1 egg.
• Seasonings: These can remain the same or be adjusted to your taste.

Next, pick your fillings

When it comes to fillings, you can add anywhere from 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups total, choosing one type or a combination of different flavors. Feel free to mix and match your favorites from the suggestions below.

Note: All of these fillings would be prepared and then mixed in with the ricotta cheese mixture, then stuffed into the shells.

Meat Fillings

• Cooked Ground Meats or Sausage: Cooked and browned to your liking, grease drained. This would work for ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey, etc.
• Shredded Meats: Cooked and shredded. This is a great way to use up leftover shredded chicken, pork, or beef!

Vegetable Fillings

• Spinach: Cooked, drained, and chopped spinach. Ensure the spinach is well-drained to prevent the filling from becoming too watery.
• Mushrooms: Finely chopped and sautéed mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they’re browned and any moisture has evaporated.
• Zucchini: Grated and sautéed zucchini. Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture after sauteing before mixing it with the cheese.

Can you make this in advance?

Certainly! To do this, follow the recipe instructions for assembling the baking dish (boil the shells, mix the filling, fill the shells, arrange in the dish), then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before you plan to bake. Let the baking dish sit at room temperature while you heat up the oven, then bake the stuffed shells per the recipe instructions.

How long are stuffed shells good for?

Once prepared and cooled, ricotta stuffed shells can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can you Freeze this dish?

Yes, you totally can! And better yet, it can be frozen both before and after baking.

Before Baking

• Assemble the stuffed shells per the recipe instructions, ensuring you’re using a freezer and oven-safe dish. Stop just before baking.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.

After Baking

• Once baked, allow the ricotta stuffed shells to cool completely.
• Cover the dish tightly with both plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to reheat ricotta stuffed shells

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, pick your favorite kitchen appliance and follow these instructions:

Oven

• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Place the stuffed shells in an oven-safe dish. Cover with aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Toaster Oven

• Set the toaster oven to 350°F.
• Arrange the shells in a toaster oven-safe dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Heat for 15-20 minutes, checking to ensure they’re warmed throughout.

Air Fryer

• Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
• Place the shells in the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd.
• Heat for 5-8 minutes, checking halfway through to avoid overcooking.

Microwave

• Place the shells in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or damp paper towel to keep them moist.
• Heat on high for 1-2 minutes, then in 30-second intervals, checking for even warmth.

Note on Thawing: If your stuffed shells are frozen, it’s best to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating to ensure even warming and to reduce the risk of overheating the edges while the center remains cold.

Notes & tips for ricotta stuffed shells

• When working with jumbo shells, be prepared for two things: many of the shells will be broken in the box and many of the shells will tear while cooking. I wish I had some tips to help prevent this but I think it’s just the nature of the beast. I deal with it by always buying extra shells and/or cooking more shells than I think I will need. Pasta is the cheapest ingredient in this recipe, so if you have to pick, it’s better to have too much of it than too few.
• I like using my own homemade marinara sauce for this recipe so that I can control the consistency and flavor. Feel free to use any red sauce you prefer, whether it’s store-bought, homemade, marinara, or classic pasta sauce.

Step 1 – Cook the jumbo shells one minute shy of the package instructions, then drain. Place the cooled shells in a shallow bowl to cool.

Step 2 –In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta and egg until nice and creamy, then use a spatula to fold in the shredded mozzarella cheese and seasonings (if using).

Step 3 – Get your 9×13 baking dish ready by pouring half of your chosen sauce (I like using homemade marinara) into the bottom and then spreading it out with a spatula.

Step 4 – Once the shells have cooled, pick one up and hold it in your weaker hand while you spoon the creamy ricotta mixture inside with the other. Once the jumbo shell is filled, place it in the baking dish, seam side up. Arrange the shells in the baking dish however you like (I like to do three columns of six to eight shells).

See Also

10 Essential Tips For Cooking For One

Step 5 – When all the shells are in the dish, pour in the remaining half of the red sauce, focusing on the areas between the shells and around the corners.

Step 6 – Bake!

Step 7 – Serve and enjoy!

These easy and simple ricotta stuffed shells are filled with savory ricotta and mozzarella then baked on a bed of flavorful marinara (store-bought or homemade!)

Author: Chrisy