Stuffed Shells

I haven't had stuffed shells in years.  My mom used to make them every once in a great while when I was little.  She also liked to make manicotti.  That probably explains why I love stuffed pasta so much.  

I'll take any excuse to make a big pot of tomato sauce... add a creamy cheesy mixture and I'm beyond excited to make dinner.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is nothing better than a big pot of homemade tomato sauce simmering in the kitchen.  That saying, "smells like home" came from exactly that.  It brings an automatic feeling of warmth and comfort to any home.

So when I randomly decided this week I was craving stuffed shells, I was looking forward to experimenting with my tomato sauce and a new ricotta cheese mixture.  I've made these two things a couple of different ways, like this Eggplant Rollatini and Baked Ziti and Mini Meatballs.  

This time I decided to kick my sauce up a notch with some bacon and ground beef to provide a smoky flavor as well as a hearty main course element to an otherwise appropriate side dish.  The flavors were great and it was everything I was hoping for.  

A few simple steps and you can recreate this delicious and weeknight dinner appropriate meal for your family!

Recipe Tips

• Next time I'm going to try making the tomato sauce without ground beef.  While I enjoyed how hearty the sauce was, I also enjoy a smoother sauce over stuffed shells.  While the flavor was good, the smoky bacon may stand out more without the overpowering ground beef.  Looking forward to seeing how it comes out next time!

Begin with sauteing your ground beef in a large skillet over medium/high heat, stirring regularly:

Until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Once cooked, strain the fat and set your cooked ground beef aside:

Meanwhile, roughly chop your bacon into small pieces:

In a large skillet, cook your bacon over medium/high heat until almost golden:

Drain your bacon fat, reserving 2 tablespoons.  Add your garlic and red pepper flakes to your pan and saute in the reserved bacon fat over medium heat until your garlic is cooked, about 1 minute:

Then add your marinara sauce:

And your reserved ground beef.  Mix until combined and cook at a low simmer while you prepare the rest of your ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, combine your ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, egg yolks, garlic, salt, and pepper:

Mix your ingredients until well blended and add your spinach and chopped parsley:

Stir until combined and your spinach is incorporated into your cheese mixture:

Cook your shells in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or until just under cooked.  Strain the water, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix until combined to avoid your pasta from sticking to each other.  Once cooled enough to handle, stuff your shells with your cheese mixture:

Fill them with enough cheese to open the top slightly, about 2 tablespoons worth:

Spread about 2 ladles full of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan and place your stuffed shells, cheese side up, next to one another until you run out of space.  I was able to fit 22 shells in one pan:

Then spoon your meat sauce over the top of your shells:

Sprinkle with your mozzarella cheese:

Place your dish in the oven uncovered and bake at 350 degrees:

For 25-30 minutes or until your cheese is melted and bubbling.  Set aside to cool slightly and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley:

Serve your stuffed shells:

And enjoy!

Stuffed Shells
Makes about 30 shells (1 1/2 9x13 pans)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
1/2 pound ground beef
6 strips of bacon, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 cups homemade tomato sauce

Cheese Filling
1 28-ounce container of ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 egg yolks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup spinach
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 box jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
chopped parsley for garnish

Directions
Begin with cooking your shells in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or until just under cooked.  Your pasta will continue to cook in the oven.  Strain the water, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix until combined to avoid your pasta from sticking to each other.

Then work on preparing your sauce by sauteing your ground beef in a large skillet over medium/high heat, stirring regularly until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Once cooked, strain the fat and set your cooked ground beef aside.  

Meanwhile, roughly chop your bacon into small pieces.  In a large skillet, cook your bacon over medium/high heat until almost golden.  Drain your bacon fat from the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons.  Add your garlic and red pepper flakes to your pan with the bacon and reserved bacon fat and saute over medium heat until your garlic is cooked, about 1 minute.  Then add your marinara sauce and your reserved ground beef.  Mix until combined and cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine your ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, egg yolks, salt, and pepper.  Mix your ingredients until well blended.  Then add your spinach and chopped parsley and stir until combined and your spinach is incorporated into your cheese mixture.