Go Back
–+ servings

Cheese-Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Jumbo pasta shells filled with cheese and baked with marinara. A warm pasta dish made for sharing.
Shared notes will appear here.
Everyday Cooking
Italian
Kitchen Pace : 🕒🕒
Servings: 4
Recipe by NAVA Kitchen
Cheese stuffed jumbo pasta shells baked in marinara sauce, topped with melted mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh parsley in a white baking dish.
Print Recipe
Share Recipe
Save to My Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • ½ box jumbo pasta shells, about 24 pasta shells
  • 3 cups marinara sauce, 24 oz, about 1 standard jar
  • 1⅓ cups ricotta cheese, whole milk
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, freshly ground

Method:

Start Cooking
Cook the pasta
  • Boil jumbo shells for about 9 minutes until just tender. Drain and let cool.
Make the filling
  • In a bowl, mix together: Ricotta, mascarpone, half of the Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, parsley, salt and black pepper.
Fill the shells
  • Spoon the cheese mixture into each cooled shell.
Layer the dish
  • Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • Spread ½ of the marinara sauce on the bottom.
  • Arrange filled shells on top.
  • Cover with remaining marinara.
  • Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
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
  • Let the pasta cool before stuffing. Warm shells absorb moisture and soften the filling.
  • Whole-milk ricotta gives the creamiest texture, but part-skim works too.
  • Parmesan or any Parmesan blend works well here.
  • Cover tightly with foil while baking to keep everything moist.
 
Make it yours
  • Add sautéed spinach or mushrooms to the filling.
  • Add garlic or garlic powder to the cheese mixture.
  • Swap parsley for basil, oregano, or thyme.
  • Add cooked ground beef to the filling for extra protein.
  • Finish uncovered for the last 5 minutes if you like a lightly browned top.
 
At the table
  • Serve with a simple green salad.
  • These shells also pair beautifully with roasted vegetables.
  • Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day.

My notes:

Click here to add your own private notes.
Your notes stay on this device for now. Log in to keep them with your account and access them anytime.

Nutrition:

Calories: 709 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Protein: 37 g | Fat: 56 g | Saturated Fat: 34 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g | Cholesterol: 160 mg | Sodium: 1725 mg | Potassium: 720 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 2862 IU | Vitamin C: 18 mg | Calcium: 860 mg | Iron: 3 mg
Share your plate
Mention @thenavakitchen or tag #thenavakitchen!