Lasagna Stuffed Shells

Italian-style or Italian-American food is one of my favorite types of cuisine, and thankfully, my family agrees.

There’s something very comforting about pasta, and these lasagna stuffed shells are no exception!

I love the deep savory flavors, and how each shell perfectly envelopes the garlicky ricotta filling.

Plus they can be made ahead in multiple ways and even frozen, which makes this meal perfect for just about every night of the week!

How to make lasagna stuffed shells?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Make meat sauce. I like to do this the day before, so it cuts down on the time needed to make this recipe.
2. Cook spinach and garlic. It will look like a ton of spinach, but it’ll cook down.
3. Combine filling and spinach. I just use a wooden spoon for this.
4. Bottom layer of sauce. Use about half the sauce.
5. Fill shells. You can use a spoon or add the filling to a piping bag to fill them.
6. Add shells to baking dish.
7. Add top layer of sauce. Spoon it down the center of each row of shells.
8. Top with cheese.
9. Bake.

Variations of this recipe

• Sauce – I like to use my bolognese sauce recipe for this, but there are some other great store-bought options out there (Mid’s and Rao’s are good ones).
• Filling – if you’d like to really bump up the layered lasagna flavor and look, add some ricotta filling to the shells, then add some of the meat sauce inside the shells on top of the ricotta filling. Then continue with the recipe!
• No spinach – we love the added nutrition and flavor of the garlic spinach, but if you’re not a fan, you can omit the spinach completely.
• Cheeses – feel free to add in some Romano or Asiago cheese, or any cheese you like.
• Herbs – you can increase or decrease the amount of herbs to your tastes.
• No meat – if you’d like a vegetarian version, check out my Classic Stuffed Shells recipe.

Making stuffed shells ahead of time

This recipe is super easy to make entirely ahead of time.

Just assemble the stuffed shells in the baking dish, cover tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Let sit on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.

You can also make this ahead in other ways:

• Prep ahead – the filling can be made ahead and refrigerated, shells can be boiled and refrigerated, and cheese can be shredded and refrigerated.
• Partially make ahead – fill the shells with the filling, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, add pre-made shells to the baking dish and proceed with recipe.

Freezing

I love making a double batch of these stuffed shells, and freezing one of the batches.

Just assemble as directed, then cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil (or whatever you normally use to cover your freezer dishes), and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.

You can also bake from frozen, at 350°F for 50 minutes covered, then uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout.

Storage

Leftover stuffed shells should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 4-5 days.