Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Shells (Conchiglioni Bolognese) is one of the many ways to enjoy Italian Jumbo Pasta Shells. These pasta shells are called Conchiglioni in Italian. It's a classic baked pasta dish that's fun to eat and easy to make, full of flavor!
You'll love making this recipe because it's crammed with secret vegetables in the Ragu, easy cheese without making Béchamel Sauce, makes enough for leftovers (or freeze on for later) plus Shell Pasta is fun to make and eat!
Ingredients
- Jumbo Pasta Shells (Conchiglioni)
- Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Onions and Garlic
- Vegetables - Zucchini, Carrot, Red Pepper
- Ground Beef
- Passata Sauce (Tomato Puree)
- Jar of store-bought Pasta Sauce
- Fresh Oregano and Basil
- Salt and Pepper
What You'll Need
- Two 9"x13" Baking Trays - I used the glass Lasagna baking trays
- Stock Pot - to boil Pasta and prepare Ragu
- Colander - to drain pasta
- Cutting Board and Knife
How to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Cook Pasta - bring pot of water to a boil and prepare large pasta shells (al dente) as per instructions and set aside.
- Cook Beef - in a large pot, heat the oil fry Onions and Garlic until soft. Add Ground Beef and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables - stir in the chopped vegetables, fresh herbs and the Passata Sauce (Tomato Puree). Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Prepare Pasta Bake - pour the store bought Pasta Sauce into the base of 2 oven proof dishes.
- Stuff - generously stuff the Pasta Shells with the Ground Beef mixture. Neatly lay the Stuffed Pasta Shells on top of the sauce, cover with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.
- Bake - place in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and meat is warmed through.
Pasta Shell Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Double it - use twice the Ragu Meat sauce, and use that as a Meaty Base in baking tray, instead of the store-bought pasta sauce
- Mix Meat - use 50/50 ground beef and ground pork for better flavor
- Make in Advance - pre-cook the meat the day before, to assemble Pasta Shells for an easy dinner. Because the ground beef is refrigerated, it will take slightly longer to heat through. Cover with foil for 35 minutes so it doesn't burn
- Freeze it - this recipe makes two 9"x13" trays, freeze the second tray for another dinner
What are Pasta Shells?
They are often called Jumbo Pasta Shells or Conchiglioni in Italian. Of course, they are pasta made in the shape of large sea shells. It's a tasty way to enjoy pasta, stuffed with your favorite ingredients.
What Do You Stuff Pasta Shells With?
Anything can be stuffed inside the jumbo Stuffed Pasta Shells (Conchiglioni Bolognese). I like stuffing creamy fillings like cream cheese and ricotta, to ground meats and sausages. This recipe uses a basic bolognese recipe that incorporates some vegetables, like zucchini, carrot and red pepper. I think it's always good to sneak in vegetables wherever you can, especially when feeding kids.
Pasta Shell Sauce
It's easy to make a ragu meat sauce for your pasta shell filling. Ragu is Italian for a meat sauce with onions, tomatoes, and red wine. You can use store-bought pasta sauces when making the Ragu Bolognese Meat Sauce. However, when possible, I use Passata Sauce when making Ragu.
Passata is un-cooked pureed tomatoes and you can add fresh herbs for flavor you like. In North American, it's known as Tomato Puree or Tomato Sauce (different from British Tomato Sauce which is Ketchup). Passata is my go to pasta sauce base and is always in my pantry as it's full of tomato goodness.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge - place in airtight container or cover with Cling Wrap and keep refrigerated for 3 days.
- Freezer - wrap tray tightly with Cling Wrap, then cover with Foil. Freeze for 2 months. Defrost in fridge overnight before cooking as per instructions.
- Reheating - add a splash of water into baking tray to avoid drying out. Heat over to 350°F (180°C) for 20–30 minutes until heated through
Easy Pasta Dinner Recipes You'll Love
- Lasagna Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Skillet Cheeseburger Gnocchi
- Easy Sheet Pan Gnocchi
- Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Creamy Chicken Stroganoff
- Creamy Tuna Pasta
- Chicken Alfredo Linguine
- Crawfish Fettuccine
- Alplermagronen - Swiss Mac and Cheese
You could say this dish is similar to lasagna, maybe just presented in a different way. Served with fresh Garden Salad, Italian Roasted Broccoli or Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Loaf. However you make Conchiglioni Bolognese, these cheesy stuffed Pasta Shells are sure to be a family favorite on repeat. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Equipment
- Two 9"x13" Baking Trays I used the glass Lasagna baking trays
- Stock Pot to boil Pasta and prepare Ragu
- colander to drain pasta
- Cutting Board and Knife
Ingredients
Ragu Meat Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic diced
- 1 small Zucchini finely diced
- 1 Carrot grated
- 1 Red Pepper finely diced
- 2 pounds (1kg) Ground Beef
- 1 jar Passata Sauce (Tomato Puree)
- 1 Jar store-bought Pasta Sauce
- ¼ cup fresh Oregano chopped
- ¼ cup fresh Basil chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Conchiglioni Pasta Shells
- 1 pound (500g) packet Jumbo Pasta Shells Conchiglioni
- 1 cup of grated Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook Pasta - bring pot of water to a boil and prepare large pasta shells (al dente) as per instructions and set aside.
- Cook Beef - in a large pot, heat the oil fry Onions and Garlic until soft. Add Ground Beef and cook until browned.
- Add Vegetables - stir in the chopped vegetables, fresh herbs and the Passata Sauce (Tomato Puree). Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Prepare Pasta Bake - pour the store bought Pasta Sauce into the base of 2 oven proof dishes.
- Stuff - generously stuff the Pasta Shells with the Ground Beef mixture. Neatly lay the Stuffed Pasta Shells on top of the sauce, cover with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.
- Bake - place in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and meat is warmed through.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted April 2017, updated May 2025
