Sausage Stuffed Shells with Tomato Cream Sauce is an excellent family dinner. Pasta shells are stuffed with a delicious mixture of sausage, beef, mozzarella and diced tomatoes. Then finished with a tomato cream sauce and more cheese. Plus, they can be made up to 2 days ahead!
If you need a delicious Vegetarian Option – Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells are excellent, or these Sausage Lasagna Rolls Ups are great too (not vegetarian though)!
Why These Are The Best
- The combo of beef and sausage in the shells is perfect.
- Mozzarella cheese melts into the meat mixture and makes the filling creamy and delicious.
- The shells can be prepped up to 2 days ahead!
- This recipe is a crowd pleaser!
- Makes an excellent Sunday Family Dinner recipe or Meal Train Dinner idea!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you will use for this Sausage Stuffed Shells Recipe, plus some pro tips on a few ingredients.
Pasta Shells
Pasta Shells can be a little delicate, they can tear very easily. That is why I always recommend boiling just a few more than you need.
This recipe will make 20-25 shells. I usually boil 28-30 shells just to make sure I have enough.
Shredded Cheese
As always, I recommend that you shred your cheese fresh. Buy a block of mozzarella and parmesan and grate it right before using.
Of course pre-shredded, bagged cheese will work but it is coated in preservatives and anti-clumping agents that prevent it from melting super creamy.
Step By Step Picture Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grab a 9×13 pan so it is ready to use. Boil salted water and cook your pasta shells.
Run the shells under cool water so they stop cooking and so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
Pro Tip: always boil a couple extra shells than you need. This accounts for any shells that tear or fall apart while boiling.
To save on dishes, melt a tablespoon of butter in the empty pasta cooking pot, over low – medium/low heat. Once melted stir in the flour.
Now whisk the heavy cream into the butter/flour. Bring to a very light simmer for about 1 minute. Pour in the marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, in a skillet soften the onions in 2 tablespoon oil. Add the garlic, sausage, and ground beef, crumble while cooking, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: use a meat chopper for easy work of crumbling the meat!!
Remove from the heat. Drain the excess grease. Stir in the drained tomatoes. Set aside to cool for a couple minutes.
Add 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella to the meat mixture and stir. The mozzarella may melt a little, but that is ok.
Pour half the creamy marinara on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture and lay in the pan. You will have 20-25 shells.
Pour the remaining creamy marinara over top. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella and parmesan, bake another 10 minutes.
Serving
Let the stuffed shells cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Serve 3-4 stuffed shells per person. They go great with salad dressed with a tart vinaigrette, like Basil Vinaigrette, and some warm bread.
Storing
Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Just reheat each portion in the microwave, 1 minute or so.
How To Make Ahead
These can absolutely be made ahead. Just prep until the directions instruct to bake in the oven. Instead, cover with foil and pop in the fridge. Keep for up to 2 days.
Then bake straight from the fridge, covered, 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then remove the foil, top with cheese and bake another 10 minutes.
Other Pasta Recipes To Love
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Sausage Stuffed Shells with Tomato Cream Sauce
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- foil
Ingredients
- 25 large pasta shells
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sized yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ lb ground Italian Sausage
- ½ lb ground beef
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes drained
- 8 oz block of mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 24 oz marinara (we like Rao's Marinara)
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Boil the shells until they are al dente, about 8 mins. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.Pro Tip: always boil a couple extra shells than you need. This accounts for any shells that tear or fall apart while boiling.
- In the now empty pasta cooking pot, over low – medium/low heat, add the butter, once melted stir in the flour, making a roux. Whisk in the heavy cream. Bring to a very light simmer for about 1 minute.Pour in the marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet soften the onions in 2 tablespoon oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sausage, and ground beef, crumble while cooking until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain the excess grease. (I like to push the meat to one side of the pan, tip it to the side so the grease drains from the meat, then using tongs and paper towels sop up the grease.)Stir in the drained tomatoes. Set aside to cool for a couple minutes.
- Add 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella to the meat mixture and stir. The mozzarella may melt a little, but that is ok.
Assembly
- Pour half the creamy marinara on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture and lay in the pan. You will have 20-25 shells.If you have extra meat mixture just add it to the pan around the shells.
- Pour the remaining creamy marinara over top.
- Cover the pan with foil.
Baking
- Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Mix the parmesan cheese and remaining shredded mozzarella together.
- Uncover and sprinkle the cheese mixture over top. Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Optionally – broil the last 2 minutes to brown the top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.Serve 3-4 shells per person.
How To Make Ahead
- Prep the shells just like the instruction above until it is time to bake in the oven. Instead cover with foil and pop in the fridge. Keep for up to 2 days.Then bake straight from the fridge, covered, 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then remove the foil, top with cheese and bake another 10 minutes.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
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