Stuffed Shells Recipe with Italian Sausage and Mushrooms (2024)

FAQs

What goes best with stuffed shells? ›

I often serve these stuffed shells with my Homemade Caesar Salad, but my Arugula Salad, Beet Salad, or Simple Green Salad would also pair well with this recipe. And when it comes to bread, you really can't go wrong! Stick with a crusty loaf, or make rosemary focaccia, garlic knots, or dinner rolls. Enjoy!

The pasta called conchiglioni, usually marketed as “jumbo shells” here in the US, are filled with a ricotta cream enriched with mozzarella, napped with a simple marinara sauce and topped with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan before being baked in a hot oven.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spoon the cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan. Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

How many shells are in a box of jumbo shells? There are usually around 40 to 46 shells in a 12 oz box of jumbo shells. It's good to have more than this recipe calls for (36) because some shells rip or are broken.

Don't Overcook the Pasta Shells!

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT over cook your pasta shells. In fact, I want you to undercook them! Boil them in a large pot of salt water for exactly 5 minutes, then drain them well and gently pat them dry. The shells will still be relatively hard, but just soft enough for you to stuff them.

You want a ricotta that has nothing more than milk, salt, and either an acid or bacterial starter. Avoid anything with a gum listed—these gums bind water but release it as you heat the ricotta up. Straight out of its container, even good-quality ricotta can be too wet, which will result in a watery filling later.

Unlike the tubes of manicotti, the shells can hold an amount of stuffing equal to the size and shape of an egg. A cream or cheese sauce can coat these shells, as well as the meat, tomato, and vegetable sauces that also work well with manicotti.

Manicotti may also be called “cannelloni.” “Cannelloni” derives from the word for “cane.” The Italian ending “oni,” means something big or fat. So, “cannelloni” are fat, stuffed canes.

Making in Advance and Refrigerating

To store this (uncooked) stuffed shell recipe in the refrigerator, prepare according to recipe instructions then cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil. You may refrigerate for up to three days before baking according to recipe instructions.

These easy Stuffed Shells are the perfect dinner and a family favorite. Filled with three kinds of cheese and baked in Marinara Sauce, it's quick to prepare and leftovers keep and reheat beautifully. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make ricotta-stuffed pasta shells.

Should I defrost frozen stuffed shells before baking? ›

The pasta shells can be pulled from the freezer and go right into the oven after just adding some prepared spaghetti sauce (a staple in my house) and cheese. Sixty minutes later they are ready to serve.

Conchiglie is a pasta variety that is shaped like a conch shell. The smallest shell shape is called conchigliette and the largest shell shape is called conchiglioni.

They do not need to be thawed you can just drop them in the oven in some sauce. It is going to be about 30–40 minutes at 350 to reheat them. Yes, you can freeze stuffed shells or similar pasta for future use. To thaw them, simply transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight.

A pound of "jumbo" pasta shells contains about 36. This recipe makes enough filling for about 30 shells, so it's likely you'll have a few extras, which may come in handy as some shells break in the box or during cooking.

You can accomplish this popular feat of Italian-American origin by following recipes for either manicotti or stuffed shells. Both pastas are meant to be stuffed. The difference is in the details. Literally translated, manicotti means “l*ttle muffs.” The large tubes are made for stuffing.

Like most leftovers, your stuffed shells should last for three to four days in a fridge set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower . If you can't eat the extra stuffed shells so soon, put them in the freezer set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and they will stay fresh for four months.

You can definitely freeze stuffed shells, and I recommend doing so before you bake them (rather than after). You can freeze one of two ways: Boil and stuff each shell, place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and transfer to the freezer. Freeze shells for about 30 minutes, then remove.