Description
A comforting and elegant dinner party dish featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a savory mixture of Italian sausage, wild mushrooms, and creamy ricotta cheese, baked in rich marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (16-20 oz) Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 1 lb (450g) Sweet Italian Sausage (casings removed)
- 8 oz (225g) Wild Mushrooms (Cremini, Shiitake, or Porcini), sliced
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 15 oz (425g) Full-fat Ricotta Cheese
- 1 large Egg
- ½ cup (50g) Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ cup (15g) Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Fresh Thyme leaves
- 2–3 cups (480-720ml) Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups (225g) Shredded Low-moisture Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook jumbo shells for 2-3 minutes less than package directions until al dente. Drain and spread on a baking sheet; drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crumbled sausage and brown well, breaking it up with a spoon. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet, sauté diced onion for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic; cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are deeply browned and moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Return sausage to the pan and remove from heat to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, cooled sausage-mushroom mixture, Parmesan, egg, parsley, and thyme. Mix gently until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the filling. Place stuffed shells seam-side up in a 9×13 inch baking dish, arranging them snugly.
- Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish, then arrange shells on top. Pour remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil (tenting so it doesn’t touch cheese) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.
Notes
Do not overcook the pasta shells; they will finish cooking in the oven. Brown the mushrooms well to avoid a watery filling. Use full-fat ricotta for the best texture. Let the dish rest before serving to help the filling set.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell with
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: stuffed shells, italian sausage, wild mushrooms, ricotta cheese, dinner party, comfort food, fall recipes, pasta bake