Italian sausage and ricotta stuffed shells is definitely one of my most favorite comfort meals. Just imagine jumbo shells packed full of spicy italian sausage, creamy ricotta and salty parmesan smothered in a hearty marinara and then all of that goodness is blanketed in melty mozzarella… and it tastes even better than it sounds…
Let’s get it started…
To bake up a big batch of stuffed shells, you will need 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 16 ounces of ground italian sausage, 14 ounces of jumbo shells, 15 ounces of whole milk ricotta, 1 large egg, 2/3 cup of finely shredded parmesan, 1/3 cup of finely chopped basil, 2 cloves of finely minced garlic, 24 ounces of marinara and 12 ounces of shredded mozzarella.
If you are interested in making your own marinara, check out my tomato, basil and garlic marinara recipe! It is simple and absolutely delicious!
Start by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 medium chopped yellow onion and 16 ounces of ground italian sausage into a large skillet and place it over medium heat.
As the sausage cooks, break it up into really small pieces and once it is cooked through, transfer the sausage and onions into a large bowl and set it aside to cool a bit while you cook the shells.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add a pinch of salt to the water and carefully add the shells. Cook them according to the directions on the box. My shells took about 12 minutes to reach al dente status. Once they are cooked, drain them and set them aside while you prepare the filling.
To prepare the filling, add 15 ounces of whole milk ricotta, 1 large egg, 2/3 cup of finely shredded parmesan, 1/3 cup of finely chopped basil and 2 cloves of finely minced garlic to the cooked italian sausage and onions. Mix until everything is fully combined.
*Note: The easiest way to fill the shells is to transfer the filling into a large piping bag or gallon zip lock bag, cut the tip off and squeeze the filling right into the shells. You can certainly do this with a spoon, it just takes a little longer.
Now that the shells are cooked and the filling is ready, it is time to assemble!
Start by adding a layer of marinara into the base of a 9″x13″ baking dish. If you are wondering why the dish in my photos is a square, it is because I am making two smaller dishes of baked shells, so I can share some with a friend. Sharing is caring… especially when it comes to comfort food…
Fill each shell and start arranging them in a single layer in your baking dish.
You will most likely have a few shells left over, but I always have broken shells and you really want whole shells to hold that delicious filling, so I try to account for this by cooking up a whole box just to be safe. If you have any extra filling, just add it to any shells that seem to have some room left over.
Spoon a little more marinara over the stuffed shells and then cover everything with shredded mozzarella.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to make sure that all of that mozzarella is melted and the edges get all browned and crispy…
As if this isn’t wonderful enough already, I like to shred a little bit more parmesan over the dish and sprinkle it with some finely chopped parsley too…
This meal just makes me happy. It is warm and cozy and one of those dishes that I have a real hard time not going back for seconds. I highly suggest having a few slices of soft italian bread close by to scoop up any left over marinara and filling that may have escaped from the shells.
If you are in the mood for a fabulously comforting, hearty meal, then I would highly recommend these italian sausage and ricotta stuffed shells. You are going to love them…
Italian Sausage & Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 14 ounces jumbo shells
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup parmesan, finely shredded
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- salt and black pepper
- 24 ounces marinara
- 12 ounces mozzarella, shredded
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 chopped yellow onion and 16 ounces of ground italian sausage into a large skillet and place it over medium heat
- Break up the sausage into very small pieces as it cooks
- Once the sausage is cooked through and the onions have softened, transfer them into a large bowl and set aside for now
- Bring a large pot of water up to a rolling boil
- Once the water is boiling, add a large pinch of salt and 14 ounces of jumbo shells and cook according to the instructions on the box
- Drain the shells and set them aside
- Add 15 ounces of whole milk ricotta, 1 large egg, 2/3 cup of finely shredded parmesan, 1/3 cup of finely chopped basil and 2 cloves of finely minced garlic to the italian sausage and onions and mix until everything is fully incorporated
- Transfer the filling into a pastry bag or gallon zip lock bag (optional)
- Add a layer of marinara into the base of a 9"x13" baking dish
- Fill the shells about half way with the italian sausage and ricotta filling and arrange them in the baking dish in a single layer
- Once the dish is filled, spoon additional marinara over the shells
- Cover the entire dish with shredded mozzarella
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place it in a 350 degree oven
- Bake for 30 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned to your liking
- Garnish with finely chopped parsley (optional)
