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Stuffed pasta shells
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Stuffed Shells with Pesto and Pepperoni

Satisfying pasta with a creamy, cheesy filling and robust homemade marinara. This recipe is a keeper and great for guests or freezing.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinara and pesto if making from scratch45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: baked pasta, basil, cheesy, cheesy pasta, dinner ideas, homemade, italian, italian cooking, Italian dinner, italian food, lasgagna, marinara, marscapone, pasta pasta, pepperoni, pesto, pesto pasta, red wine, ricotta, shell pasta, stuffed shells, trending
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 box jumbo shell pasta, cooked, and drained
  • 2 cups marinara
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup marscapone
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • 2 tbsp parsley, minced
  • 2 tbsp basil, chopped
  • 1 cup pepperoni slices, diced
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Fresh basil, sliced garnish (optional)
  • 1 quart ziploc bag or piping bag

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. This is where we will fill our shells. It makes the process easy and easy to clean up.
  • Boil the shells in salted water for 9 minutes, drain and pour them on the baking sheet. Seperate the shells so they are not sticking together and then put aside.
  • In a medium sized bowl, combine the ricotta, marscarpone, pepperoni, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, pesto, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  • Fill a quart size storage (Ziploc) with the ricotta mix. Squeeze out the air and seal.
    Cut the corner of ONE side on the bottom (not the top sealed side) and use this to squeeze the mix/fill the shells. Cut large enough to get a good amount out but not too big.
    Start stuffing the shells. You may have to pry some open to fill. It does not have to be stressful, just do the best you can and move to the next one. I like mine to pour or pop out of the top a bit to ensure a good bite once cooked,
    *If you do not have a Ziploc, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mix and begin stuffing all the shells.
  • Pour 1 1/2 cups of the marinara in a large baking dish. I use a 9x13 baking dish. Add the stuffed shells on top. I make a line and just go along the dish filling it up.
  • Now sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.
  • Sprinkle the fresh basil on top.
    Serve by scooping up some of the marinara and plating.
    ENJOY!
    Italian pasta