Beef and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 1 pound jumbo pasta shells
• 1 lb ground meat
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 24 oz jar marinara sauce
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 whole egg
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with oil and set it aside.

2. 2

   Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions, then drain them and set aside.

3. 3

   For the meat sauce, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the seasonings: salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Saute until the meat is browned and cooked through.

4. 4

   Remove 3/4 of the meat and set it aside. To the remaining meat, add the marinara sauce and cook for 2 minutes until well combined. Set aside for later use as the meat sauce.

5. 5

   For the filling, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well.

6. 6

   Add the reserved 3/4 portion of cooked meat to the ricotta cheese mixture and mix until well combined.

7. 7

   Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the prepared cheese and meat mixture, using about 2 tablespoons per shell. Repeat with the remaining shells.

8. 8

   In the greased baking dish, spread a layer of meat sauce (about ¾ cup). Arrange the stuffed shells over the sauce. Pour the remaining meat sauce over the shells. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

9. 9

   Bake the stuffed shells for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is heated through.

10. 10

    Garnish with parsley before serving.