Stuffed Shells

I haven’t made classic stuffed shells in a bit so I made them for my little fam tonight for dinner. These reheat well and are also a good freezer meal to make for a new neighbor, someone who just had a baby, etc.

20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked to package instructions

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 tsp dried oregano

3 cups marinara sauce

15 oz ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup parsley, plus more to garnish

•Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook shells in salted water according to package instructions (stirring several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the pot), then drain and fill pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep shells from sticking to each other.

•Make Sauce: In a deep pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté chopped onion until softened and golden (3-5 min). Add minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp oregano. Sauté another 1 minute stirring constantly until garlic is fragrant. Add 3 cups marinara and bring to a uniform boil then simmer for 2 minutes and pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.

•Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, add 15 oz ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until well combined.

•Stuff Shells: Use about 1/2 ice cream scoop or just until filled (do not overstuff). Place them in the casserole over the marinara sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.

•Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling at the edges. Remove foil and broil for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley to serve.

*Recipe from my one of my favorites, Natasha’s Kitchen

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