stuffed shells with ground beef sauce
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Just Meats; all opinions are completely my own. #sponsored #JustMeats
Easy, delicious stuffed shells with ground beef sauce is your new go-to weeknight dinner – and I’ve got a special offer just for my readers!
can we ever have enough fast, easy, family-friendly dinners?
DINNER. It never – EVER – stops. And so I never – EVER – stop looking for fast and easy meals to add to my repertoire. Bonus points if I can make it ahead, double bonus points if I can freeze it.
Because at the end of the day we all want to sit down – at the end of the day – and enjoy a delicious meal that accounts for our busy, hectic lives.
you need to know about Just Meats!
I am SO excited to be sharing Just Meats with you today. Just Meats is a line of high quality meats (beef, chicken, pork and turkey) that are pre-cooked and ready to use in 2 minutes! The meats are locally sourced, grass-fed and contain zero artificial colors or flavors.
I couldn’t wait to try the ground beef chuck in these delicious stuffed shells!
what ingredients do you need?
Stuffed shells are a favorite dinner around here – and these are filled with all the good things:
- jumbo pasta shells
- marinara sauce
- Just Meats Ground Beef Chuck
- ricotta cheese
- parmesan cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- eggs
- baby spinach
- salt and pepper
- parsley
how do you make stuffed shells with ground beef sauce?
This dish could not be easier – thanks in no small part to Just Meats and pre-cooked ground beef!
While bringing a large pot of water to boil for the shells, heat up your marinara sauce. Once simmering, add the Just Meats ground beef along with the contents of the seasoning pouch. Simmer, breaking up any large pieces, for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
Combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella, eggs, baby spinach and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a large piping bag or ziploc bag with a large opening snipped in the corner.
Spread about half the sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish.
Drain the shells and let sit till cool enough to handle. Pipe some of the filling into each shell and place into your baking dish. Top with the rest of the sauce and reserved mozzarella.
Bake in a pre-heated oven, top with chopped parsley and serve!
some tips for perfect stuffed shells with ground beef sauce!
While I am a strict recipe-follower when baking, cooking allows for much more flexibility – and stuffed shells are no exception! Here are just a few tips and ideas for this recipe:
- I like fresh spinach here but feel free to swap it for 16 ounces of thawed frozen spinach. Just be sure to drain well and squeeze out all the excess water!
- While you can serve this dish straight from the oven, I always make it earlier in the day and heat it through again later on. This makes for a drier, less “saucy” dish, which my family prefers.
- If you can, always shred your own cheese, versus using the pre-shredded variety. Those bags utilize preservatives to keep the cheese from clumping together in the package, which makes it less “melty”. You can use a box grater or food processor with a grating disc and this makes such a difference!
- I often split this dish between two 8-inch square pans if we are a small group craving stuffed shells. I’ll pop one of the dishes in the freezer and thank myself later!
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Let me know if you try it!
Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups marinara sauce, store bought or homemade
- 1 pound Just Meats Ground Beef Chuck
- 24 - 30 jumbo pasta shells
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 5 ounces baby spinach, lightly wilted (see Notes)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta shells.
- While the water is coming to a boil bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Add the beef and contents of the seasoning pouch and simmer for 2 minutes, breaking up any larger pieces. Take off the heat and set aside.
- When the water boils, salt generously, add the pasta shells and cook for 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. Drain and let cool till cool enough to handle.
- In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, spinach and salt and pepper. Transfer to a large pastry bag or ziploc bag and snip a large opening in the corner.
- Spoon half the beef sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish - spread evenly.
- Working with one shell at a time, pipe in some of the filling and place in your baking dish. Repeat till you've used all of the filling. Top with the remaining beef sauce and reserved mozzarella.
- Bake till hot, 30 - 40 minutes (see Notes for do-ahead instructions). Turn the oven to broil and continue cooking till the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes and sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can wilt the spinach in the microwave for 1 minute, or in a steamer set over just simmering water.
- Frozen spinach may be substituted for fresh. Thaw and drain a 16-ounce package, being sure to squeeze out any excess liquid.
- You can split this dish between two 8-inch square pans.
- To make ahead, take the dish out of the oven before broiling. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze till ready to use (thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen). Re-heat till hot, then proceed with the recipe as above.
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Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
