Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage is the ultimate comfort food, jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy 4-cheese blend, topped with a rich and savory sausage tomato sauce, and baked until bubbly and golden. This hearty dish is homemade, from scratch, and freezer-friendly, making it a dinner time win for busy weeknights or a cozy dinner party.
I've made a lot of pasta dishes in my day, and this one is the favorite at my house. The combo of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and romano is rich and flavorful, and the homemade meat sauce just brings it all together. I even sneak in some sautéed spinach for a little extra veggie boost, it blends right in with all that cheesy goodness.
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If you love easy baked pasta recipes like this one, you might also like my Easy Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage or my Baked Penne with Sausage.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Italian Sausage: Brings rich, savory flavor. Swap with ground beef or turkey if you prefer.
- 4-Cheese Blend: Ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and romano make the filling creamy and flavorful. You can substitute romano with more parmesan or asiago if needed.
- Tomato Sauce & Diced Tomatoes: Creates a thick, flavorful base for the dish. Substitute with your favorite pasta sauce if needed.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness to the filling. Milk is a great substitute!
How To Make Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage
Stuffed shells might look fancy, but they're actually very simple to pull together! This recipe is great for making ahead and perfect for freezing, too. Here's step by step instructions on how to bring it all together:
STEP 1
Cook the pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the rest, and set aside.
STEP 2
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté spinach until wilted. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 30 seconds, then remove and roughly chop.
STEP 3
Add the chopped spinach to a medium bowl along with the ricotta, romano, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, pepper, egg, and cream. Mix until fully combined.
STEP 4
In the same skillet, cook the Italian sausage and onions until browned. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add in some or all of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.
STEP 5
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread half the sausage sauce in a 9x13 baking dish. Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in dish. Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
STEP 6
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Garnish with parsley and basil if desired. Enjoy!
If you love this recipe, you might also enjoy my Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells or this Pasta Meat Sauce recipe, both are flavorful, family-friendly meals that are easy to make and packed with comfort.
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📖 Recipe
Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
Pasta Sauce
- 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
- ½ cup onion small diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes petite diced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup reserved pasta water optional
4-Cheese Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach rinsed
- 2 tablespoons fresh parlsey chopped, plus more for garnishing
- 1 pinch red pepper plakes
- 1 cup romano cheese shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded, reserve ¼ for top
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded, reserve 1 ½ cups for top
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the rest, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté spinach until wilted. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 30 seconds, then remove and roughly chop.
- Add the chopped spinach to a medium bowl along with the ricotta, romano, 1 cup of mozzarella, ¾ cup of parmesan, parsley, pepper, egg, and cream. Mix until fully combined.
- In the same skillet, drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the Italian sausage and onions until browned. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add in some or all of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread half the sausage sauce in a 9x13 baking dish. Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in dish. Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Garnish with parsley and basil if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
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To Make Ahead:
Fully assemble the stuffed shells, let them cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, take the dish out of the fridge 30-45 minutes beforehand. Add 10-15 minutes to the baking time, then uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. -
To Freeze:
Assemble the dish and let it cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Remove the plastic wrap, replace the foil, and bake with an extra 10-15 minutes added to the cook time. Uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes to brown the top. - Reserved Pasta Water - Use if the pasta sauce is too thick for your liking. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
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To Make Ahead:
Frequently Asked Questions
Add the chopped spinach to a medium bowl along with the ricotta, romano, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, pepper, egg, and cream. Mix until fully combined.
I recommend covering stuffed shells when baking if they are cold. If you have just assembled the stuffed shells, you can bake them uncovered.
Holly says
I made homemade ricotta cheese over the weekend and it was to die for in this recipe. Making the sauce from scratch was definitely with the extra effort.
Sky Pilgreen says
Oh, I bet your fresh ricotta was so good in this recipe! Thank you for your comment!
Jackie Garvin says
You can’t go wrong with four cheeses and pasta. Great recipe!
Sky Pilgreen says
Thank you!
Desi says
My family loves this pasta dish!
Anonymous says
I've made this recipe 3 times now! It's one of my favorite pasta dishes to make. It's so good!