Easy Sausage Stuffed Shells are loaded with meaty goodness, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes and cheese – making for the ultimate weeknight dinner.
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How long has it been since you had stuffed shells? Or if you haven’t, what’s taken you so long?
These cheesy wonders are a classic Italian fare and usually stuffed with a creamy mixture of ricotta and Parmesan. I’ve taken mine to the next level by including Italian sausage (sweet or hot, you choose!), meaty mushrooms and spinach. The flavor is out of this world!
Conchiglie, meaning shell or seashell, is the type of pasta you want to look for. Granted on the store shelves here in the U.S. of A. they are usually just called “shells.” Of course you’ve seen the little ones, but if you’ve never used this giant variety you’re in for a treat.
Don’t miss more of my easy, and popular pasta recipes, like Fresh Green Pesto Pasta with Lemon Ricotta Cream!
In the box they don’t look like much. Just the mama-size of the baby shells most of us cover with cheese sauce. But, when cooked, they are the size of your palm and beg to be filled with goodness!
The recipe is simple, and uses a few prepared ingredients like shredded cheese and jarred tomato sauce to speed up the cooking process. Less prep!
I also love the fact that I made this recipe big – big enough that you can either serve them all to your giant Italian (insert any country, state or county) family on Sunday, or make two pans and freeze one for next Wednesday when you are so, over, cooking!
Stuffed Shells are jumbo! The size of your palm, and beg to be filled with goodness!
Next best thing about this recipe, I cooked everything in one skillet, so there is so much less cleanup.
I cooked onions, mushrooms and sausage, added some cheese and spinach. Stuffed that deliciousness in the giant shells then sautéed fresh eggplant with tomato sauce. After that it goes in the oven and you’re free!
Use any type of casserole dish for baking the shells. I like my blue Le Creuset or, an oven-proof double handled skillet works as well!
Scroll to the bottom for the recipe PIN and more easy pasta dinner ideas.
These meaty, veggie-packed pasta shells are a simple and delicious weeknight meal. Plus you can freeze some for a no-prep meal later!
Ingredients
- 30 jumbo pasta shells (12-oz pkg)
- 3 links hot or sweet sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 8 oz white button mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1¾ cups shredded Italian blend cheeses
- 1 cup (2 oz) baby spinach leaves
- 1 12-oz eggplant, cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 26- to 28-oz jar garden-style pasta sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add pasta and stir. Bring back to a boil, cover and remove from heat; let stand 10 min. Drain and rinse pasta; set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion and mushrooms, breaking up sausage, until onion is tender, 8 to 10 min; set aside.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, ¼ tsp salt, ½ cup cheese blend and spinach. Stir in cooked sausage mixture; set aside.
- In same skillet, cook eggplant, stirring until just softened, about 8 min. Add pasta sauce and remaining salt and bring to a boil.
- Heat oven to 375°F. Spoon ⅔ of the eggplant sauce into the bottom of a shallow 2½-quart casserole dish. Fill each shell with about 2 tbsp sausage mixture, arrange in dish and spoon remaining sauce over shells. (Wrap and freeze at this point if desired.)
- Cover and bake until sauce is bubbling, about 25 min. Remove from oven and sprinkle shells with 1¼ cups cheese blend; bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted, 8 to 10 min more.
Notes
This recipe makes a large quantity; to freeze half for a later meal, split prepared shells and sauce between two smaller casserole dishes. Wrap one casserole dish well in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake 15 min more than directed.
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For more easy pasta dinners like these stuffed shells, try some of my favorites from around the web:
Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes
Warm Salmon and Arugula Pasta Salad
Recipe by Tara Bench. Photography by Jason Donnelly. Food Styling by Nicole Faber. Prop Styling by Carol Linnan. Originally published 1/09 in LHJ.
