Classic cheese stuffed shells in a tasty chunky tomato sauce. These shells make an excellent holiday buffet dish,
Cheese Stuffed Shells Are A Classic
These shells are a wonderful classic Italian meal.
They’re light, yet filling. Stuffed with a savory blend of three cheeses, they’re sure to please the fussiest eaters. And kids just love them.
I consider this to be one of my best family-style meals!
Perfect For Buffet Parties
Another big plus to these cheese stuffed shells is that they are a perfect dish to put out on a buffet.
Now that the holidays are almost here, a lot of us are thinking about getting together with family and friends. And lots of us do buffets where everyone can serve themselves. These require no cutting or fuss because the shells themselves are individual servings.
Another thing to consider is these stuffed shells are vegetarian (but unfortunately not vegan) so those friends and relatives who do not eat meat will appreciate these!
The Perfect Sauce
Because the cheese stuffing in these shells is very smooth, I like to serve this with a sauce that has some body to it.
The funny thing about my Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce is that it is done in less than 30 minutes! However, it’s one of the most versatile sauces I make because you can use it on lots of other dishes besides pasta.
Another good thing about this sauce is that if you serve it on a holiday buffet with a big pot of pasta, this sauce is not only vegetarian, it’s vegan too!
The Recipe
- 32 oz ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley -OR- 2 tbs dry
- ½ tsp oregano
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz large shells pasta, cooked per package directions
- 4 cups chunky Italian pasta sauce
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread about 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan
- Mix all ingredients, except for the cooked pasta and sauce, in a large bowl.
- Fill shells with cheese stuffing mixture and place in prepared pan.
- Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells. Top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes.
Yum
Everything is perfect as is.