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Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Shells Bake

Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Shells Easy Bake - Tasty
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Prepare a simple, comforting baked pasta dish using ground beef, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese stuffed into large pasta shells.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain the shells and set them aside to cool slightly.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  5. Stir the marinara sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper into the beef mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
  7. Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  8. Gently stuff each cooked shell with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture. Place the filled shells open-side up in the baking dish over the sauce layer.
  9. Spoon the remaining meat sauce over the stuffed shells.
  10. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
  11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.
  12. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese if desired.

Notes

  • You can prepare the entire dish ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 minutes to the bake time if cooking directly from the refrigerator.
  • For a freezer-friendly option, assemble the dish completely, cover tightly with foil, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
  • Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytribune.com/cheesy-ground-beef-stuffed-shells-easy-bake/