Delicious Beef Stuffed Shells: Easy Dinner Idea

This delicious and simple beef stuffed shells recipe with ground beef is an ideal one-pan dish that everyone in the family will enjoy! The best part? You can prepare it in advance and freeze it, making it a fantastic option for those hectic evenings when cooking isn’t an option.

If you haven’t tried making stuffed shells yet, it might seem a bit tricky at first. But honestly, these cheesy stuffed shells filled with ground beef are super easy to put together, and the great part is you can prep them in advance for those hectic evenings.

Three Reasons You will Love these Stuffed Shells with Beef

Cozy Family Dinner – Beef stuffed shells are a great go-to when you want to create a warm, family gathering or celebrate a holiday. Usually, classic stuffed shells are stuffed with a just cheese and/or spinach stuffing. These stuffed shells are made with beef for a heartier meal, but they’re super easy to make.

Perfect for a Crowd – This dish is very versatile and can easily be scaled up to serve more people. Stuffed shells are a crowd-pleaser, and you can prep everything in advance, making it a breeze to take to a potluck or party.

Simple Meal Prep – This is an awesome dish for a big Sunday dinner, or you can make it over the weekend for quick meals during the week. Batches of Italian beef stuffed shells freeze really well and can be baked straight from the freezer.

Ingredients you will Need for this Recipe

For the Pasta:

• 20-24 pieces jumbo pasta shells
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Meat:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 works well
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Stuffing and Topping:

• 2 large eggs
• 15 ounces of ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 24 ounces of your favorite marinara sauce – divided

RECIPE NOTES: You can easily substitute ground turkey or chicken in this recipe for less fat, healthier version. You can also simply eliminate the meat and make this a delicious vegetarian dish, if you prefer.

How to Make Beef Stuffed Shells

Prepare the Pasta:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

Use a big pot and fill it with water and add the 1 teaspoon salt. Turn the heat up to high and wait for it to boil. Once it’s boiling, add in the 20-24 jumbo shells and cook for about 9 minutes. They should be a bit bendy but not too soft. Once cooked, drain the shells in a colander and let them cool.

Cook the Beef:

In a big skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high. Add in the 2 cloves minced garlic and let it cook for a minute or two until it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, it cooks quick.

Add the 1-pound ground beef to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it apart and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep stirring the ground beef until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain off any extra grease and set it aside.

Prepare the Stuffing and Assemble the Shells:

Whisk the 2 eggs in a large mixing bowl and add in the 15-ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning,1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until it’s all blended together.

Take the cooked shells and fill them with the cheese mixture and ground beef, making sure to distribute it evenly. Arrange the shells in rows over the marinara sauce in the pan.

Spoon dollops of the remaining marinara sauce on top of each stuffed shell. Sprinkle a generous amount of 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese over everything, then cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until it’s hot with cheese melted on top. Serve these beef stuffed shells with a side salad and Simple Cheesy Garlic Bread. Enjoy!

Ground beef recipes are so simple and easy to make. Not, only that they are perfect for family meals. Try our Stuffed Pepper Soup recipe too. It is so tasty!

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Beef Stuffed Shells Recipe

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This delicious and simple beef stuffed shells recipe with ground beef is an ideal one-pan dish that everyone in the family will enjoy! The best part? You can prepare it in advance and freeze it, making it a fantastic option for those hectic evenings when cooking isn’t an option.

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Ingredients

For the Pasta

• 20-24 pieces jumbo pasta shells
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Meat

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 works well
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Stuffing and Topping

• 2 large eggs
• 15 ounces of ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 24 ounces of your favorite marinara sauce – divided

Instructions

Prepare the Pasta:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
3. Use a big pot and fill it with water and add the 1 teaspoon salt. Turn the heat up to high and wait for it to boil.
4. Once it’s boiling, add in the 20-24 jumbo shells and cook for about 9 minutes. They should be a bit bendy but not too soft. Once cooked, drain the shells in a colander and let them cool.

Cook the Beef:

1. In a big skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high. Add in the 2 cloves minced garlic and let it cook for a minute or two until it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, it cooks quick.
2. Add the 1-pound ground beef to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it apart and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep stirring the ground beef until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain off any extra grease and set it aside.

Prepare the Stuffing and Assemble the Shells:

1. Whisk the 2 eggs in a large mixing bowl and add in the 15-ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until it’s all blended together.
2. Take the cooked shells and fill them with the cheese mixture and ground beef, making sure to distribute it evenly. Arrange the shells in rows over the marinara sauce in the pan.
3. Spoon dollops of the remaining marinara sauce on top of each stuffed shell. Sprinkle a generous amount of 2 cups mozzarella cheese over everything, then cover the pan with aluminum foil.
4. Bake it in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until it’s hot with cheese melted on top. Serve these beef stuffed shells with a side salad and Simple Cheesy Garlic Bread. Enjoy!

Notes

You can easily substitute ground turkey or chicken in this recipe for less fat, healthier version. You can also simply eliminate the meat and make this a delicious vegetarian dish, if you prefer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 658Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 1639mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 45g

The nutritional information provided for the recipes on this blog is an estimate and is based on standard ingredient portions. Actual nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as ingredient brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods. For precise dietary needs or concerns, please consult a healthcare professional or nutritionist.

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