If you need a quick but impressive dinner or one to cook with your children, you should try these stuffed shells. Pair them with a vegetable and/or salad, and you have a wonderful dinner.
16 jumbo pasta shells (boil 2-4 extra shells because some break
while cooking)
1 lb. ground chuck or ground pork or ground Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
½ medium bell pepper, diced
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
28 oz marinara sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
fine sea salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil shells. Cook 3
minutes less than directed on the package so that they stay firm. They will continue to cook in the oven. When
pasta is ready, drain and cover in ice water bath to stop cooking process.
While pasta is boiling, brown meat in skillet, adding
onions, bell pepper, black pepper, and salt.
When meat is almost done, add Italian seasoning. Once meat is cooked, drain any fat. Keep meat in skillet.
Add ½ cup of marinara sauce, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, and mix
well. Allow to simmer 2-3 minutes.
Spread half of the remaining marinara sauce in the bottom of
9x13 baking pan.
Using a spoon, carefully stuff each shell with meat
filling. Place on top of marinara sauce.
Once all shells are filled, pour remaining sauce on top,
making sure to cover each shell.
Sprinkle shredded Italian blend cheese on top.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and
bubbly.
