These Vegetarian Cheese Stuffed Shells are packed with delicious flavor and smothered in marinara sauce & cheese for the perfect dinner. You won't even miss the meat and this elegant pasta dish is ready in under an hour!
This recipe will leave you feeling full and satisfied without any meat! It is the perfect Italian night dinner recipe and also an excellent meal to feed a crowd of people for the Holidays.
If you have extra time, make my quick marinara sauce ahead of time. If you are short on time, you can stick with jarred marinara and it will still be delicious!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It's vegetarian, but feels like total comfort food and is full of flavor.
- Warm marinara is poured over the top and will take you to heaven and back.
- This recipe is elegant, but is actually quite simple to make.
- The cheesy filling will make you not even miss the meat.
If you love Easy Italian Recipes, you've got to try my Manicotti Recipe, Penne Primavera, Creamy Italian Spinach Gnocchi and Homemade No Rise Pizza Dough.
Ingredients:
Jumbo Shells: The ideal pasta to hold the magnificent cheesy filling.
Mozzarella Cheese: Delicate, milky cheese that helps build flavor. Try these Fried Mozzarella Cheese Balls too!
Ricotta Cheese: Creamy white soft cheese & the base of the filling. I prefer the whole milk version for this recipe.
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: My favorite, nutty cheese for topping this decadent dish. Buy it in block form and shred yourself for the best taste.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations:
If you want to add meat, sauté ½ lb of ground beef or ground Italian sausage on the side, drain the grease and add it into the filling.
Love spinach? Add in 1 cup of fresh chopped spinach into the filling.
Want to pair this recipe with meat? Try these Mini Meatballs, Chicken Romano, Crispy Chicken Fritta, or Baked Panko Chicken.
How to Make Vegetarian Cheese Stuffed Shells:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the jumbo shells until al dente (about 10-12 minutes). Pour the cooked shells into strainer and allow them to cool for a few minutes before handling.
Step 2: Make the Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add in 1.5 cups of mozzarella, ricotta, parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step 3: Prepare a 9x13 casserole dish with a ladle full of marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread it out to cover the entire bottom surface.
Step 4: Stuff the shells by filling each jumbo shell with about 1 tablespoon of cheese filling using a spoon or piping bag.
Step 5: Top the shells with the remaining marinara sauce. Top with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Allow the pasta to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil, serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Don't overcook the pasta in the boiling water. They will continue to cook in the oven.
- If you want to serve more marinara on the side, just heat it up on the stovetop.
For similar pasta recipes, try this Four Cheese Pasta, Lasagna al Forno and Meatless Baked Ziti.
Recipe FAQs:
The egg helps to bind all of the ingredients together to form the filling.
Sure thing! You can cook ½ pound of ground beef or sausage in a skillet on the stovetop and allow it to cool a bit before mixing it into the cheesy filling.
Yes! They freeze great if you have a vacuum sealer or cover a casserole dish with plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you pull them from the freezer, allow them to unthaw a bit, then bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.
Allow the shells to cool to room temperature. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 350 degree oven until warm in an oven safe dish or on a cookie sheet. I recommend heating extra marinara sauce on the stovetop because the sauce dries up a bit when reheating.
More Pasta Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Vegetarian Cheese Stuffed Shells Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Vegetarian Stuffed Shells
- Total Time: 1 hr, 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
These Vegetarian Stuffed Shells are packed with delicious flavor and smothered in marinara sauce & cheese for the perfect dinner. You won't even miss the meat and this elegant pasta dish is ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- (1) 12 ounce package Jumbo Shells
- 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 16 ounce container of whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup finely shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese
- 1-16 ounce jar of your favorite marinara sauce or my Quick Marinara Recipe
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the jumbo shells until al dente (about 10-12 minutes). Pour the cooked shells into strainer and allow them to cool for a few minutes before handling.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add in 1.5 cups of mozzarella, ricotta, parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Prepare a 9x13 casserole dish with a ladle full of marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread it out to cover the entire bottom surface.
- Stuff the shells by filling each jumbo shell with about 1 tablespoon of cheese filling using a spoon or piping bag.
- Top the shells with the remaining marinara sauce. Top with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Allow the pasta to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta when boiling. It will cook in the oven too.
- Make sure to have extra marinara sauce when serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Holly says
LOVE LOVE LOVE!