Stuffed Shells with Italian Homemade Sausage

The first time we tried these stuffed shells, they were an instant hit. Everyone fell in love with the savory flavors of this dish. And so decorative too! Before too long, kids were asking for a repeat again and again. They’re scrumptious and fun to eat too. So I decided to post it for you all to enjoy as well.

The taste is somewhere between supreme pizza and lasagna. My special flavorful ingredient is the Homemade Italian sausage, which is made from scratch with Home Ground Beef, and adds freshness. Cheesy and loaded with vegetable goodness; mushrooms and bell peppers makes it so tasty. All you need is a good salad and you have a delicious dinner your kids will ask for seconds and thirds of. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

60 large – pasta shells (about 1 lb. or 454 g)

24 oz. (630 g) – fresh mushrooms
1 lb. (454 g) – mozzarella cheese
1 lb. (454 g) – cheddar cheese
4 oz. (113 g) – parmesan cheese
½ can (12 oz. or 340 g) – roasted garlic pasta sauce
3 oz. (135 g) – tomato paste
2 cups (250 g) – cottage cheese
1 – yellow bell pepper
1 large - egg

2 lbs. (900 g) – ground beef

I recreated the recipe of Italian Sausage Seasoning from HERE

2 tbsp. (30 ml) - parsley
2 tbsp. (30 ml) - Italian seasoning
1 tbsp. (15 ml) - minced garlic
1 tbsp. (15 ml) - minced onions
1 tbsp. (15 ml) - sea salt
1 tsp. (5 ml) - black pepper
1 tsp. (5 ml) - red pepper flakes
½ tsp. (1.25 ml) – fennel
½ tsp. (1.25 ml) - paprika

Instructions:

1. Peel mushrooms. Rinse, and cut into small pieces. Sauté mushrooms on high for 5 minutes or so. Mushrooms will release some water. As soon the water evaporates reduce the heat to medium and sauté for a couple more minutes. Set aside and let mushrooms cool until ready for use.

2. Shred all the cheese. Mix it together. Cover with plastic food wrap and refrigerate until ready for use.

3. Measure out all the Italian Sausage ingredients, mix them together and set aside until ready for use.

4. To save time, I cook the pasta while I sauté the meat. Cook pasta according to package instructions. When done, drain and rinse pasta with cold water. (Prevents pasta from becoming slimy and sticky.) Cover the pasta with a lid. (Prevents from drying out while you work on the meat. No picture – too easy.)

Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a large frying pan, then ground beef. Sauté beef on high until it waters and sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium and add mixed seasonings. Sauté for 5 minutes, mixing it occasionally. Add and mix in roasted garlic pasta sauce and tomato sauce. Sauté for 3 more minutes. Set aside and let it cool (the meat should be warm, not hot when adding cheese).

5. Combine sautéed & cooled beef, sautéed & cooled mushrooms, diced yellow pepper, cottage cheese, egg, half of the shredded cheese. (Reserve and refrigerate the other half for topping stuffed shells.) Mix everything together carefully, do not mash.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Stuff each large shell with about ⅓ cup of filling and organize in an oven-safe baking pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350 F. Remove from the oven, remove aluminum foil, top the shells with the reserved cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. (I needed 2 - 10 X 13” pans for 60 stuffed shells.

I cooked one right away and saved one in the fridge, covered with plastic food wrap, for the next day. You may also freeze these shells. If freezing, you will need to freeze some shredded cheese separately. Defrosting will not be necessary, just extend the cooking time for about 10 minutes. Leave the cheese on the counter top, and it should thaw out while the shells are baking.)

Remove from the oven, cover the pan with the foil used earlier and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells with Italian Homemade Sausage

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Course: Dinner, Main

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Servings: 60 stuffed shells

Author: Valya's Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 60 large – pasta shells about 1 lb. or 454 g
• 24 oz. 630 g – fresh mushrooms
• 1 lb. 454 g – mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb. 454 g – cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. 113 g – parmesan cheese
• ½ can 12 oz. or 340 g – roasted garlic pasta sauce
• 3 oz. 135 g – tomato paste
• 2 cups 250 g – cottage cheese
• 1 – yellow bell pepper
• 1 large - egg
• 2 lbs. 900 g – ground beef
• I recreated the recipe of Italian Sausage Seasoning from HERE
• 2 tbsp. 30 ml - parsley
• 2 tbsp. 30 ml - Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. 15 ml - minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. 15 ml - minced onions
• 1 tbsp. 15 ml - sea salt
• 1 tsp. 5 ml - black pepper
• 1 tsp. 5 ml - red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. 1.25 ml – fennel
• ½ tsp. 1.25 ml - paprika

Instructions

• Peel mushrooms. Rinse, and cut into small pieces. Sauté mushrooms on high for 5 minutes or so. Mushrooms will release some water. As soon the water evaporates reduce the heat to medium and sauté for a couple more minutes. Set aside and let mushrooms cool until ready for use.
• Shred all the cheese. Mix it together. Cover with plastic food wrap and refrigerate until ready for use.
• Measure out all the Italian Sausage ingredients, mix them together and set aside until ready for use.
• To save time, I cook the pasta while I sauté the meat. Cook pasta according to package instructions. When done, drain and rinse pasta with cold water. (Prevents pasta from becoming slimy and sticky.) Cover the pasta with a lid. (Prevents from drying out while you work on the meat. No picture – too easy.)
• Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a large frying pan, then ground beef. Sauté beef on high until it waters and sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium and add mixed seasonings. Sauté for 5 minutes, mixing it occasionally. Add and mix in roasted garlic pasta sauce and tomato sauce. Sauté for 3 more minutes. Set aside and let it cool (the meat should be warm, not hot when adding cheese).
• Combine sautéed & cooled beef, sautéed & cooled mushrooms, diced yellow pepper, cottage cheese, egg, half of the shredded cheese. (Reserve and refrigerate the other half for topping stuffed shells.) Mix everything together carefully, do not mash.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Stuff each large shell with about ⅓ cup of filling and organize in an oven-safe baking pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350 F. Remove from the oven, remove aluminum foil, top the shells with the reserved cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. (I needed 2 - 10 X 13” pans for 60 stuffed shells. I cooked one right away and saved one in the fridge, covered with plastic food wrap, for the next day. You may also freeze these shells. If freezing, you will need to freeze some shredded cheese separately. Defrosting will not be necessary, just extend the cooking time for about 10 minutes. Leave the cheese on the counter top, and it should thaw out while the shells are baking.)
• Remove from the oven, cover the pan with the foil used earlier and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

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Looking for more DINNER recipes? Here are some to choose from:
LASAGNA WITH MUSHROOMS
BUCKWHEAT MEATBALLS and CREAMY MASHED POTATOES
FETTUCCINE CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH BROCCOLI

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