Cheese Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells are the most forgiving baked pasta there is. The filling is a simple ricotta and mozzarella mixture, the sauce can be as quick or as slow as you like, and the whole thing can be assembled in advance and baked when you are ready. It is the pasta bake for feeding a crowd without stress.

What makes the filling work

Ricotta alone is bland and can be watery. The fix is to drain it, season it hard and add a melter:

• Ricotta — the body, drained well
• Mozzarella — the stretch and creaminess
• Parmesan or Pecorino — the salt and umami
• An egg — binds the filling so it does not crumble
• Nutmeg, black pepper, fresh herbs — lift the whole thing

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

• 24 large pasta shells
• 500 g ricotta, drained
• 200 g mozzarella, grated and divided
• 80 g Parmesan, grated and divided
• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic, very finely grated
• Nutmeg, salt, black pepper
• 700 ml tomato sauce, or a béchamel if you prefer
• Fresh basil to finish

Method

1. Cook the shells in salted water until just pliable but still firm — undercook them, as they will finish in the oven. Drain and cool on a tray.
2. Mix the ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, the egg, garlic, nutmeg and seasoning.
3. Spread a layer of sauce over the base of a baking dish.
4. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture. A piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off makes this quick; a spoon works too.
5. Arrange the filled shells in the dish, cover with the remaining sauce, then the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
6. Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling and browned at the edges.
7. Rest for 5 minutes and scatter with basil before serving.

Make-ahead

Assemble up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge. Freeze before baking, well wrapped, for up to two months; thaw overnight before baking.

Getting the sauce right

A plain tomato sauce keeps the dish fresh; a béchamel makes it richer and closer to a four-cheese bake. Whichever you choose, season it properly first — under-seasoned sauce is the most common reason stuffed shells taste flat.

See our cheese sauce guide for a béchamel base, and our mozzarella guide to choose between fresh and low-moisture cheese.