Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells is a cheese lover’s delight! Jumbo pasta shells are loaded with three kinds of cheese and then baked in savory marinara sauce until hot and bubbly. It’s the ideal recipe for an easy weeknight supper, perfect for feeding a crowd, and makes a great freezer meal.

These stuffed shells can be a meal on their own, but they also pair perfectly with Oven Fried Chicken or Easy Homemade Meatballs for a hearty, wholesome meal.

Spoon full of stuffed shells, stuffed with cheese parsley and marinara sauce inside a baking dish.

In This Post

Did somebody say cheese? If they did, then welcome to the party. Lately, I’ve been on a cheese kick and loved every minute of it. Recently, I made Pimento Cheese Sausage Dip, Creamy Stovetop Cheese Tortellini, and a double batch of Blue Cheese Dressing. After that, to keep things rolling strong, I made this crazy good dish.

Stuffed Shells have been a favorite in my family for years. My recipe makes a large casserole, so it’s great when entertaining or feeding lots of folks. And if that’s not enough, I love whipping it up to freeze for those times when I really don’t have the time or desire to cook.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients – You don’t need anything fancy to make these stuffed shells delicious, just staple ingredients.
Pick Your Own Adventure – You can make your own homemade marinara sauce for this recipe or use store-bought as a shortcut.
Family-Favorite – Have you ever met someone who doesn’t love cheesy pasta? Me either.

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells Ingredients

Glass bowl with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan, egg, chopped fresh parsley, garlic powder and salt.

Be sure to grab Jumbo Pasta Shells as they’ll need to be big enough for stuffing the cheese in them.
Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, and Parmesan cheese (Romano cheese or Asiago can be subbed) are mixed together to give this recipe all the cheesy goodness.
An Egg is used to help bind everything together.
Garlic Powder, Parsley, and salt are the only seasonings you’ll need for the cheese mixture.
Whip up your own marinara sauce using crushed tomatoes (in a can) and spices, or use store-bought to save a bit of time.

Recipe Variations

Speed It Up: One of the easiest variations is to use your favorite jarred pasta sauce if you are short on time.
Add Protein: Make this a main dish by adding ground beef, ground turkey, or Italian sausage to the marinara sauce.
Cheese Swaps: Switching up the kind of cheese you use is easy as well. Get a little crazy and use Pepper Jack, sharp cheddar, and/or Colby.
More Herbs: This recipe uses parsley, but when it comes to fresh herbs, you can add thyme, oregano, and fresh basil as well.

Step By Step Directions

Ingredient collage of how to make stuffed shells going from cooking pasta to making the filling and putting them into the baking dish to be put in the oven.

Cook Pasta: Set oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Make the Cheese Mixture: Add ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and garlic powder to a large bowl. Mix together.
Assemble: Spoon ¾ of marinara sauce (instructions below) on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish that’s been coated with cooking spray. Stuff each pasta shell with cheese filling and place it on the sauce.
Bake: Drizzle the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

Can Stuffed Shells Be Made Ahead Of Time

Yes, you can stuff them and prepare the shells ahead of time. Just wait to add the sauce until just before baking to prevent the pasta from getting soggy. Store the stuffed shells covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baking dish filled with stuffed shells topped with cheese and marinara sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of shells can I use if I can’t find large shells?

You can use manicotti noodles instead and fill those.

Can I add meat to the homemade marinara sauce?

Absolutely! Ground beef, pork, turkey, or even shredded chicken would be a big hit.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftover three cheese stuffed shells can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can this be a freezer meal to serve later?

You bet! A quick way to do it is once the shells are stuffed, place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Then, cover and place them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, place them in a plastic Ziploc freezer bag and seal the bag. They will keep for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Whether a salad or a side dish, there are so many dishes that go well with stuffed pasta shells. Serve them as a main dish with Everyday Green Salad, Skillet Green Beans, or Oven Roasted Asparagus. Or, they pair beautifully with Marry Me Chicken or Crock Pot Beef Roast as a side dish.

Cooked stuffed shells with cheese and sauce and a side of salad on a plate.

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If you tried this Three Cheese Stuffed Shells Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!