sausage stuffed shells

This easy Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells recipe is down home Italian comfort food. Hearty and thick, this recipe combines creamy ricotta, melty cheeses, Spinach and Italian sausage for a family favorite Italian dinner!

Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage

Jumbo Pasta Shells (16 ounces)

oz Ricotta (about 4 cups)

oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Eggs

tsp Garlic Powder *see note

tsp Dried Oregano

Shredded Parmesan

45 oz Spaghetti sauce (large jar)

sausage

parsley

tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain any excess fat and remove from heat.

Bring water to boil and add the shells.  Cook the shells until they are pliable for filling and no more. This means the shells should still feel hard, but they are bendable for stuffing.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 8oz of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of parmesan, eggs, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir in the spinach.

Coat the bottom of a 9x13in pan with the 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce. Spoon the cheese mixture into the shells and place shells open side up, close together in the dish. There will be more shells than will fit into this pan and you can either make a second smaller pan (5x8 is good) or freeze for future use. Sometimes the shells also break in the box so this is fine.

Add the rest of the spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle the sausage over the top of the shells. Then sprinkle with the remaining 4oz of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil, preferably tented so it doesn&#39;t stick to the cheese.  Bake for 25-40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. The more packed/full the casserole dish, the longer it will take to bake. You know it&#39;s ready when the cheesy is melted and bubbly. Look for bubbles along the sides of the dish.

If you like a cheesy crust, you may broil it uncovered for 3-5 minutes (watch closely). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Italian Stuffed Shells

These hearty pasta shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach blend, then baked with browned Italian sausage and marinara. It is a comforting family dinner that comes together in under an hour.

Creamy Sausage Stuffed Shells

oz jumbo pasta shells (Cook until al dente)

lb Italian sausage, bulk (Mild

ricotta cheese (Whole milk

mozzarella cheese, shredded (Divided

parmesan cheese, grated (Adds salty depth)

egg (Helps bind the filling)

oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (Remove

oz marinara sauce

tbsp dried oregano (For seasoning the cheese mixture)

garlic, minced (Fresh gives the best flavor)

Preheat

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a large baking dish. This ensures the pasta does not stick during the baking process.

Boil Pasta

Boil the jumbo shells in salted water for two minutes less than the package directions. They should be firm enough to handle without tearing.

Cook Sausage

Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked and crumbled. Drain excess grease so the filling remains rich but not oily.

Make Filling

Mix the ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture looks uniform and speckled with green.

Add Sausage

Fold the cooled sausage into the cheese mixture gently. This distributes the meat evenly for a savory bite in every shell.

Sauce Pan

Spread one cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of your prepared baking dish. This creates a bed of moisture to keep the pasta tender.

Stuff Shells

Stuff each shell generously with the cheese and sausage mixture and place them into the dish. Arrange them snugly to prevent them from tipping over.

Top the shells with the remaining sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. The cheese should cover the pasta to protect it from drying out.

Bake

Bake for twenty minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Let it rest for five minutes before serving to help the filling set.

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Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage

Creamy Sausage Stuffed Shells

Top 2 sausage stuffed shells recipes from across the web

The most viewed sausage stuffed shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage

Creamy Sausage Stuffed Shells

The most viewed sausage stuffed shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine