Even with the pandemic where people are spending more time at home, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. This is especially true for moms and dads. That’s why finding a delicious recipe that’s easy and affordable to make is such a big deal. Thankfully, one mom shared her favorite dish that’s sure to be a winner in your home.
Stuffed shells with ground beef and cheese
Not too many families don’t love pasta. In particular, they love recipes that include meat and lots of cheese. The great thing about this dish is that it tastes fantastic whether you eat it the first night you make it or several nights later. As a matter of fact, you can freeze some this either after cooking it or before.
Required ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 20 jumbo uncooked pasta shells
- 1-pound of lean ground beef
- 1 15-ounce container or cottage cheese or ricotta, your choice
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 1 26-ounch jar of spaghetti sauce, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Extra grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooking the pasta
The first thing you need to do is cook the pasta shells according to the instruction provided on the package. When done, drain them thoroughly, and then set them aside.
Preparing the filling
Add both the ground beef and minced garlic to a large skillet, cooking the beef until it browns. At that point, take it off the heat, pour off the excess grease, and set aside.
Putting the cheese together
For the next step, you’ll need a medium-sized bowl. To that, add one-half cup of the Parmesan cheese, as well as all of the Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese. Then, add the egg. Use a spoon or a whisk to mix well. Then, add the cooked ground beef to the cheeses, again stirring everything together so it’s thoroughly and evenly mixed.
Assembling it all
For this, you’ll need a 13×9-inch baking dish. Start by spreading one-cup of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom. Then, spoon roughly 1/4-cup of the ground beef and cheese mixture inside each shell. Once they’re all filled, place them in a single layer in the dish with the spaghetti sauce.
Getting ready to bake
Before putting the dish in the oven, you want to sprinkle the remaining meat and cheese mixture over top of the shells. On top of that, drizzle the remaining sauce. Then, sprinkle some extra Parmesan on top. The amount depends on how much you want but one-quarter to one-half cup should suffice.
Pop it in the oven
Now, you’ll put the dish in the preheated oven. Usually, this recipe takes 25 minutes to cook but depending on how your oven works, you may need to reduce the time by five minutes or add an additional five minutes. Toward the 20-minute mark, check it. When done, it’ll be bubbly and the Parmesan cheese slightly brown.
Bon appetit
For the best flavor, this dish should be served immediately after taking it out of the oven. But as mentioned, it’s also delicious warmed up later. For a wonderful, hearty meal, you can also serve French bread and a salad.
Family favorite
We’re not kidding when we say that everyone will love this. Just be prepared to hear your kids ask for stuffed shells on a regular basis. But with this being so easy to make, you’ll have no problem making their wish come true.
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Source: Thrifty Mom, YouTube
