Beef-Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Jumbo pasta shells filled with seasoned ground beef and baked with marinara and melted cheese. A warm pasta dish made for sharing.

Shared notes will appear here.

Everyday Cooking

Italian

Kitchen Pace : 🕒🕒

Servings:

Recipe by NAVA Kitchen

Golden baked beef-stuffed jumbo pasta shells topped with melted mozzarella and fresh parsley in a white baking dish with marinara sauce.

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Ingredients:

½ box jumbo pasta shells, about 24 shells
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, small, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 green pepper, finely diced, optional
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
3 cups marinara sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Method:

Start Cooking

COOK THE PASTA

Boil jumbo shells for about 9 minutes until just tender. Drain and let cool.
MAKE THE BEEF FILLING
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and optional green pepper together and cook until softened.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and fully cooked.
Stir in the garlic and tomato sauce.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is well combined. Remove from heat.

FILL THE SHELLS

Spoon the beef mixture into each cooled shell.

LAYER THE DISH

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom.
Arrange filled shells on top.
Cover with remaining marinara sauce.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

BAKE

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
You can uncover for the last few minutes if you want extra browning. Bon appétit.

Kitchen Tools:

Notes:

From the kitchen

Slightly undercook the pasta shells so they stay firm while filling and baking.
Let the shells cool for a few minutes before filling to make them easier to handle.
Covering the dish while baking helps keep the pasta soft and prevents the cheese from overbrowning.
A spoon or small cookie scoop makes filling the shells quicker and cleaner.

Make it yours

Add mushrooms or spinach to the beef filling.
Add diced red pepper or chopped tomato to the beef filling for extra color and freshness.
Swap mozzarella for provolone or an Italian cheese blend.
Add red pepper flakes for a little heat.

At the table

Serve with garlic bread, Caesar salad, or roasted vegetables.

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FROM THE PANTRY

Jumbo pasta shells

WHY WE LOVE IT

Jumbo shells turn a simple pasta dinner into something cozy, hearty, and perfect for the oven. They hold rich fillings beautifully while keeping every bite saucy and cheesy.

A LITTLE STORY

Stuffed shells are a comfort-food favorite known for bringing together pasta, sauce, and baked cheese in one pan. They are the kind of dinner made for gathering around the table and going back for seconds.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jumbo shells are often called conchiglioni in Italian, which means “large shells.” Their shape is designed to catch sauce and fillings beautifully while baking.