Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Recipes

THREE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions for al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning, egg, salt and pepper. Spread 3/4 of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Spoon the cheese mixture into the pasta shells and place in the baking dish. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5-10 minutes more.

CHEESY STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse in cold water.
• Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain and crumble. In a large bowl, combine cooked sausage, spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stuff pasta shells with the sausage and cheese mixture and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pasta is heated through and the cheese is melted.

CHEESY BEEF-STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Prepare macaroni shells according to package directions; drain and set aside.
• Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet until beef is browned.
• Drain excess fat.
• Stir in next 6 ingredients.
• Set aside.
• Combine spaghetti sauce and wine.
• Spoon one-fourth of sauce into a lightly greased oblong baking pan; set aside remaining sauce.
• Stuff macaroni shells with beef mixture, and place in baking dish.
• Spoon remaining sauce over shells.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over shells.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

EASY STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add manicotti and boil for the 7-8 minutes, until almost tender*.
• Drain and rinse manicotti 2-3 times under cold water until cooled to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, pesto, salt, and pepper.
• Place ricotta mixture in a large piping bag or large freezer bag and snip the end.
• Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom.
• Fill each manicotti shell with ricotta cheese mixture and line up on top of the marinara sauce in the baking dish, dividing the ricotta evenly between the 12 manicotti.
• Top the filled manicotti with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly grease a piece of foil or lid and cover the baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until heated through and pasta is tender. Serve.

CHEESE AND BACON-STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, and cool.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon, onion, and garlic until bacon starts to crisp and onion and garlic have softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
• Mix the bread crumbs, cream cheese, parsley, and the bacon mixture in a large bowl; season with pepper to taste.
• Pour the tomato puree into a large, shallow casserole dish; stir in the rosemary.
• Spoon the bacon and breadcrumb mixture equally into the pasta shells. Arrange the stuffed shells in the casserole dish. Coarsely chop the mozzarella and scatter over the pasta shells. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes.

SHRIMP SCAMPI STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta shells until al dente according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat combine the oil and butter.
• Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the shrimp and cook stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the wine, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sir and simmer until the shrimp is cooked through, about one minute more. Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, egg, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Fold in the cooled shrimp scampi and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with the flour.
• Cook, whisking, until the roux turns golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the half and half, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly.
• Whisk in the remaining half and half and cook until thickened.
• Add the parsley, garlic, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish.
• Use a spoon to fill each of the cooked jumbo shells with the shrimp and cheese mixture.
• Line the stuffed shells in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce on top.
• Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered until bubbly and hot, about 25 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

CHEESY STUFFED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the paccheri for 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain. Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water after draining.
• Combine the ricotta with 1/2 cup of the pesto and 2 cups of fontina, then mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a piping bag or resealable bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the mixture into each paccheri. (This doesn't need to be perfect. If a paccheri is very torn or broken, do not use.) Stand each filled paccheri upright in a 10-inch springform pan until it is packed tightly.
• Thin the alfredo sauce with the reserved pasta water in a bowl, then pour it into the pan over the filled paccheri, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups fontina cheese.
• Bake until the mixture is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Drizzle with the rest of the pesto and garnish with the fresh basil. Remove the springform side, then slice and serve.