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Hearty Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef

These hearty stuffed shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach mixture, then topped with a savory ground beef marinara sauce and a generous layer of melted cheese. Perfect for a comforting family meal, they bake to golden perfection.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 27 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 28 ounces marinara sauce
  • 1 container part skim ricotta cheese 15-oz
  • 1 egg
  • 1 package frozen spinach 16-oz, thawed and squeezed well
  • 2 cups part skim shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella, divided
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese divided
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Large bowl
  • Large baking dish
  • Foil

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) in preparation for baking.
  2. Cook the jumbo pasta shells in a large pot of salted water until they are 2-3 minutes shy of al dente according to package directions; drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the chopped onion with ¼ teaspoon of salt until translucent (about 3-5 minutes), and add chopped garlic, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the ground beef and an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt to the skillet, browning it thoroughly and breaking it into small pieces for 5-7 minutes; drain any excess oil if desired.
  5. Stir in the marinara sauce with the browned beef until well combined, then remove the skillet from the heat.
  6. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, well-squeezed spinach, 1 cup of Italian cheese blend, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt until thoroughly combined.
  7. Once the cooked shells have cooled, fill each one with approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach mixture.
  8. Spread half of the beef marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a large baking dish.
  9. Arrange the filled pasta shells in the baking dish, then top them with the remaining beef marinara sauce, the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the remaining ¼ cup of parmesan cheese.
  10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes to allow the cheese to brown lightly.
  11. Optionally, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving hot.

Notes

Ensure spinach is well-squeezed to avoid a watery filling. For best results, allow the baked shells to rest for a few minutes before serving.