Description
Best Christmas Stuffed Shells: Festive, creamy pasta shells filled with a ricotta–mozzarella–Parmesan mixture and baked in marinara for a cozy holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
- Optional: red and green sprinkle herbs for festive look
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook jumbo shells according to package directions, drain, and let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
- Fill each shell with the cheese mixture and place into the dish.
- Spoon remaining marinara over the shells.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden.
- Garnish with parsley or basil before serving.
Notes
- Can be assembled and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
- For extra cheesy flavor, mix a portion of the mozzarella into the ricotta filling.
- Use part-skim mozzarella to reduce fat, if desired.
- Garnish with additional fresh herbs for a colorful presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (of 4)
- Calories: 315 kcal per serving
- Sugar: 3 g per serving
- Sodium: 350 mg per serving
- Fat: 17 g per serving
- Saturated Fat: 8.5 g per serving
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g per serving
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g per serving
- Fiber: 1 g per serving
- Protein: 10 g per serving
- Cholesterol: 65 mg per serving
Keywords: Best Christmas Stuffed Shells, Christmas stuffed shells, creamy stuffed shells, vegetarian holiday pasta, festive pasta dish, easy Christmas dinner