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You are here: Home / Main Dishes / Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

March 11, 2010 by Danelle 11 Comments


THREE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS –Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with three cheeses and seasonings, then baked in your favorite marinara sauce.


Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

My whole family loves these Three Cheese Stuffed Shells, which makes this meal a winner in my book. You really can’t go wrong stuffing anything with melted cheese, can you?

I’ve been making these stuffed shells for over 20 years (I got the recipe from my mom), and it’s my go to meal when I need to serve a crowd, or when I need to prep a freezer meal.

And of course it’s a great vegetarian option!

This has replaced my shells recipe. Very good! Thanks for sharing. ~ Lori

This recipe makes more than my family can eat in one sitting, so I usually make one pan to eat and stick another pan in my freezer for later. It’s a lifesaver when those hectic week nights roll around. You can even freeze the extra filling for later.

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

You can use manicotti pasta in place of the large shells, but I find the shells much easier to stuff. But either type of pasta is just fine!

I’ve tried several cheese stuffed pasta recipes, but this one is by far my favorite. Thanks to the addition of a bit of sour cream and some seasoned breadcrumbs, the consistency of the cheesy filling is just right.

And it’s so easy to add meat for an even heartier meal. Or use a prepared marinara sauce with meat if you’d like.

This is one of those go-to, tried and true recipes that will never let you down!


Be sure to save this Three Cheese Stuffed Shells recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.


Three Cheese Stuffed Shells


Here’s what you’ll need to make Three Cheese Stuffed Shells


  • Jumbo shell pasta
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Monterrey jack cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Spices: oregano, basil, salt and pepper
  • Jarred marinara sauce
Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with three cheeses and seasonings, then baked in your favorite marinara sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz.) package jumbo shell pasta
  • 1 (16 oz.) container ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 cups marinara sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water to cool so you can handle the pasta while stuffing.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, bread crumbs, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
  3. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and cover bottom of dish with a thin layer of marinara sauce.
  4. Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in dish; cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.
  5. Bake, covered, for about 30-40 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce starts bubbling. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287 Total Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 38mg Sodium: 1183mg Carbohydrates: 25g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 11g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 15g
© Danelle
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Main Dishes

 

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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from my mom and allrecipes.com

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged With: cheese

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Korryn

    March 11, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    Yum…looks good! I have a similar recipe to this, but I throw some chopped spinach in there to ease my guilt over all that cheese.

    Reply
  2. Kat

    March 11, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    I have always wanted to try jumbo shells…this looks super good. My stomach is growling haha

    Reply
  3. Silence Sings

    March 12, 2010 at 2:48 am

    Very creative blog…following you…:)

    Reply
  4. Lori

    October 17, 2010 at 5:15 pm

    This has replaced my shells recipe. Very good! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jamie Lou

    November 7, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    I made this for supper tonight. It is waiting to go into the oven. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I actually added it to my blog at http://happyhousewifehappenings.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  6. Amy Duska

    December 29, 2017 at 4:10 am

    My kids love stuffed shells but I’ve always followed the recipe on the back of the box… Will have to give your recipe a try next time. Pinned for later!

    Reply
  7. Albert Bevia

    December 29, 2017 at 11:22 am

    Love the combination of cheeses in this recipe, this is right up my alley, looks absolutely delicious

    Reply
  8. Evelyn

    June 25, 2018 at 10:32 am

    Can you substitute something for the ricotta in this reicipe?

    Reply
    • Danelle

      June 25, 2018 at 11:41 am

      You could try cottage cheese.

      Reply
  9. Madeleine Fuchs

    March 6, 2019 at 4:07 pm

    Hello! This is the first stuffed shell recipe I have seen with bread crumbs included. Why do you included bread crumbs?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Danelle

      March 6, 2019 at 6:44 pm

      You don’t really notice them, but they make the filling less runny, with a little more substance.

      Reply

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