Description
Discover the ultimate recipe for the Best Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef! Learn how to create a delicious and satisfying meal the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 27 jumbo pasta shells (640 g)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon (4 ml) salt, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450 g)
- 28 ounces tomato sauce (800 g)
- 1 (15-oz) container part skim ricotta cheese (425 g)
- 1 (16-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed well (450 g)
- 2 cups part skim shredded Italian cheese blend (or shredded mozzarella), divided (200 g)
- ½ cup grated cheese, divided (50 g)
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Set your oven to 350°F to preheat.
- Boil the pasta shells in a pot of salted water, cooking them for 2-3 minutes less than the package suggests, so they’re just under al dente. Drain them, rinse with cold water, and keep them aside.
- During the pasta cooking process, warm a large pan on medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and cook the chopped onion with ¼ teaspoon of salt until the onion becomes clear, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute until it’s aromatic.
- Incorporate the ground beef into the pan with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook until the beef is browned and thoroughly cooked, breaking it into small bits, about 5-7 minutes. Remove any excess oil if needed.
- Mix in the tomato sauce, combine well, then remove from the stove.
- In a big bowl, blend together the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, ¼ cup of the grated cheese, and ¼ teaspoon of salt until well mixed.
- Once the pasta shells are ready and cooled, stuff each one with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach mixture.
- Spread half of the beef-tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Place the stuffed shells in the baking dish, then cover them with the rest of the beef-tomato sauce and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of Italian cheese blend and ¼ cup of grated cheese on top.
- Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven to bake for 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- Make sure to thoroughly drain the spinach to avoid excess moisture in the ricotta mixture, preventing a watery filling.
- For a healthier option, consider using ground turkey or chicken in place of ground beef.
- Enhance the flavor of the ricotta-spinach mixture by adding your preferred herbs or spices like oregano, basil, or red pepper flakes.
