Updated on Dinner

Cheesy Shells with Meat Sauce

Jump to Recipe

 I got my first job when I was 15 working at a local grocery store. My duties consisted of bagging groceries, rounding up shopping carts, working the register, helping old ladies carry their bags to their car, and a plethora of other chores. My least favorite thing to do was to stock the shelves. It was just so tedious and boring. I spent a lot of my time lost in my own thoughts, usually thinking about food (I mean it was the only thing I was around all day). One day while I was stocking the jumbo shells on the pasta isle, I thought to myself, “these would be awesome stuffed with cheese and some spaghetti sauce thrown on top!” Groundbreaking thought I know. So, this little dish was born and I’ve been making it ever since.

Anyone can put together noodles, sauce and cheese, but I think it’s the sauce that really pumps up the volume. You don’t want something bland and boring, you need a sauce with lots of flavor to tie in with the shells and cheese. The meat sauce I make, which derives from my mom’s spaghetti sauce, is packed full of meat, vegetables and spices.

Adding garlic to a hot pan…that smell though!

 The cheese is also an important component too. You can use any kind you like, I typically use mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and parmesan. I grate the cheese instead of buying it already grated because I think it melts better. The best way to do this is with a food processor…if you don’t have one, you gotta get one!

Love my food processor! 
All this cheese grated in a matter of minutes.

When I have some extra time on my hands, which isn’t very often, I like to make one of these and put it in the freezer. It’s perfect to have it already prepped and ready for supper after a busy day. Just simply follow the directions up to you bake it. Assemble in a tin pan, cover with tin foil, and store it in the freezer. Hey, if you’re going to keep frozen dinners in the freezer, they might as well be homemade!

Anything topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese is great!
Print

Cheesy Shells with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

  • 1 lb ground beef/turkey
  • 1 lb ground sausage
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • Olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms diced
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock

Pasta

  • 1 box jumbo shells
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese grated
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Parsley roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef and sausage, drain, and set aside. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Next add the bell pepper, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce & paste, spices, ketchup, chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.

  2. Preheat oven to 350F. Cook jumbo shells according to box directions. Drain shells and let cool until they are able to handle. Stuff the shells with Mozzarella & sharp cheese and place in baking dish. Spoon the meat sauce over the shells and top with a little more cheese. Cover dish with tin foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Top shells with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Recommended Articles