Description
These Cheese Stuffed Shells are filled with a creamy cheese mixture and topped with a savory sausage tomato cream sauce. Baked to perfection, this dish is a delicious comfort meal that’s sure to satisfy any craving.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and water removed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ pound ground beef sausage
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 25 jumbo pasta shells (make extra shells just in case)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells for 2-3 minutes, just shy of al dente. They should still feel firm but pliable for stuffing. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, Italian seasoning, and spinach until combined. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef sausage and diced onions. Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the sausage until crumbly and the onions are soft. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, then drain any excess fat.
- Add the marinara sauce and canned diced tomatoes to the skillet, bringing it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.
- Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the cheese mixture and place them open side up into the baking dish.
- Spread the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbly.
- Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with fresh chopped basil before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the pasta shells are not fully cooked to ensure they don’t get too soft during baking.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, consider adding red pepper flakes to the sausage sauce mixture.
- You can substitute turkey sausage for a leaner version of the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 552 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
