Stuffed Pasta Shells (Conchiglioni)
Stuffed conchiglioni are large pasta shells filled with delicious, flavorful fillings such as ricotta, spinach, meat, or vegetables. Once stuffed, they’re usually arranged in a baking dish, covered with sauce—like marinara or béchamel—and baked until bubbly and golden. This classic Italian-inspired dish is both comforting and elegant, making it perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
In this blog post, you will learn how to make stuffed conchiglioni.
How to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells
To start I like to boil my jumbo pasta shells before baking so that they are nice and soft for eating. I boil them for not for the full amount of boiling time as on the package. My package for the jumbo pasta shells said to boil them for 14 minutes so I boiled them for 10 minutes. Softened but not too soft to work with.
Next, if using ground beef as well, cook your ground beef in a non-stick skillet on your hob. Set aside.
Take your partially cooked pasta shells once boiled and drain the water through your colander. Rinse with cold water then place back into the pot and drizzle a tad of olive oil onto the pasta to keep it from sticking together while getting your other ingredients together.
In a medium sized boil, mix together the cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, and two eggs. If using ground beef, add it to the cheese and egg mixture.
Take a 9×13 pan and cover the bottom of it in pasta sauce of your choosing.
Stuff the pasta shells with the egg and cheese mixture and place neatly into the 9×13 baking pan. Continue until all of the pasta shells are used up.
Cover the top of the pasta shells with the rest of the pasta sauce and cover the pan with tin foil.
Bake for 40 minutes covered, then remove the tin foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool, and enjoy!
Storage
Once baked, stuffed pasta shells should be cooled completely before storing to prevent excess moisture.
Transfer them to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil. They’ll keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the baked shells in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. Just make sure they’re well wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
When reheating, cover with foil and bake until heated through, or thaw overnight in the fridge before warming for the best texture.
Ingredients
Large Shells (Conchiglioni): These oversized pasta shells are the foundation of the dish, designed to hold generous amounts of filling for a hearty, satisfying bite.
Cottage Cheese: cottage cheese adds creaminess and a mild, tangy flavour to the filling, helping to keep it moist and rich when baked.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: cheddar cheese brings a sharp, cheesy flavour and melts beautifully on top, creating a golden, bubbly layer.
Eggs: the eggs bind the filling together, giving it structure so it stays inside the shells while baking.
Ground Beef (Optional): the ground beef is optional but adds a savoury, meaty element to the filling, making the dish more filling and flavourful.
Pasta Sauce: the pasta sauce coats the shells and keeps them moist during baking while infusing the dish with rich tomato flavour. Any flavour will work, just pick your favourite to use!
Tips
- This is a great dish to give to people for meals as it is transported easily in a dish pan and requires barely any work for the meal receiver to place into the oven at home!
- You can remove the ground beef from this recipe to make this pasta dish vegetarian.
- For extra flavour, try topping with shredded mozzarella or Parmesan before baking.
Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz. 340g large shells (Conchiglioni)
- 24 oz. 450g cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 lb. 454g ground beef, cooked (optional)
- 1 jar of pasta sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for slightly less than the package instructions (for example, boil for 10 minutes if the package recommends 14). The shells should be tender but still firm enough to stuff without tearing.
- (Optional) While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Break it into small pieces and cook until fully done. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the shells in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Return the shells to the pot and drizzle with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together while you prepare the filling.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and eggs until well mixed. If using cooked ground beef, stir it into the mixture. This creamy, cheesy filling will give the shells their signature rich flavour.
- Spread a layer of pasta sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell generously with the cheese filling and arrange them neatly in the baking dish. Continue until all the shells are filled.
- Pour the remaining pasta sauce evenly over the filled shells, making sure they’re fully covered. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6 oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are heated through.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with extra cheese or fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Author: Sarah Young