Go Back Email Link
+ servings
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Cheesy Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

These Cheesy Vegetarian Stuffed Shells are a classic pasta dish and the ultimate comfort food. This version is includes mushrooms in the sauce and the shells are stuffed with cheese.T
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Resting Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: cheesy stuffed shells, easy stuffed shells, stuffed shells, Vegetarian stuffed shells
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 473kcal

Ingredients

  • 24 jumbo stuffed shells

For the Filling

  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

For the Sauce

  • 16 oz marinara sauce
  • 8 oz mushrooms chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Bring 8 cups of water with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil.
  • While the water is coming to a boil, prepare the sauce by combining the mushrooms and marinara sauce in a medium bowl.
  • Add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, usually about 8 minutes. Drain completely.
  • While the pasta is cooking, prepare the filling by combining the eggs, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the parsley in a large bowl and set aside.
  • Spread half of the mushroom-marinara sauce into the prepared baking dish.
  • Fill each shell with 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling and place open side down into the sauce. Repeat with remaining shells until dish is full.
  • Spread the remaining sauce on top of the shells and then top with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the parsley on top.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Optionally, turn on the broiler for a minute or two, to get the cheese browned and crispy.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. Sprinkle with additional parsley if desired.

Notes

Substitutions: swap out the mushrooms for bell pepper, onion or zucchini; or add more veggies to the sauce. (You may need to increase the sauce to 24 oz). Add in crumbled ground beef, ground turkey or sausage. Use spaghetti sauce instead of marinara. Use provolone or fontina cheese in place of mozzarella, use romano cheese in place of parmesan. 
Servings: serve with garlic bread and green salad! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1378mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1328IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 566mg | Iron: 2mg