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Garlic Butter Stuffed Shells

Garlic Butter Stuffed Shells are a cozy comfort food option, featuring soft pasta shells filled with a cheesy mixture and drizzled in a rich garlic butter sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Filling
  • 1 box jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste Salt and pepper
Garlic Butter Sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
Sauce
  • 2 cups Marinara sauce Your favorite store-bought or homemade

Method
 

Cooking the Pasta
  1. Fill a large pot with salted water, bring it to a boil, and cook the jumbo shells according to the package instructions until al dente.
Making the Cheese Filling
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, pepper and half the parsley. Mix well until everything is smooth and oh-so-cheesy.
Filling the Shells
  1. Once the pasta shells are cooked and cooled just enough to handle, spoon the cheese mixture into each shell. Make sure not to overstuff.
Preparing the Sauce
  1. In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
  2. Stir in the rest of the parsley.
Assembling the Dish
  1. Spread a layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the stuffed shells on top, then drizzle the garlic butter sauce over the shells. Finally, sprinkle more mozzarella cheese on top.
Baking
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Notes

These stuffed shells freeze beautifully! You can also mix in spinach or cooked ground meat for extra nutrition. Experiment with different sauces as desired.