The combination of jumbo pasta shells, spinach ricotta cheese filling, and hearty meat sauce in these stuffed shells with ground beef creates a crowd-pleasing meal perfect for a cold night.

Stuffed shells with ground beef meat sauce in a white baking dish with a serving spoon.

As the weather cools down, I’m all about hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meals and this one really hits the spot. While it doesn’t fall into the quick and easy recipe category, it is well worth the effort for the delicious comfort food meal it creates.

Whether you’re whipping up these stuffed shells with ground beef for a holiday meal, weekend dinner, or a meal prep idea to enjoy on busy weeknights, I’m confident that this recipe will be a hit with the whole family.

Baked stuffed shells with meat sauce in a white baking dish with fresh basil on top.

Why You’ll Love It

Full of Flavor – The cheese filling and meat sauce ensure that these stuffed shells are bursting with flavor.
High in Protein – The combination of ground beef, ricotta, and pasta, ensures that this casserole has almost 40 grams of protein per serving.
Great for Meal Prep – These stuffed shells with ground beef keep well in the fridge and freezer making them a great make-ahead meal.

Ingredients for stuffed shells with meat: jumbo shells, ground beef, ricotta, spinach, parmesan, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, tomato sauce, thyme, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Jumbo Pasta Shells – Also known as conchiglioni, jumbo pasta shells are the perfect vehicle for stuffed pasta. You can use regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free pasta shells.
Ground Beef – To make the beef sauce. You can use regular, lean, or extra-lean ground beef. You can also use Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken if preferred.
Ricotta Cheese – To make the filling for the pasta shells. You can use whole milk, part-skim ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese if desired.
Parmesan Cheese – To add some flavor to the filling.
Mozzarella Cheese – To add some protein and healthy fats and top the stuffed shells with ground beef. You can use an Italian cheese blend if preferred.
Spinach – To add some fiber and leafy greens. You can use fresh spinach or frozen spinach, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Tomatoes – To make the beef sauce. You can use crushed tomatoes, passata, or your favorite marinara sauce.
Onion and Garlic – To build flavor in the meat sauce.
Celery and Carrots – To add some veggies and build the meat sauce.
Herbs – A mixture of dried oregano, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes to enhance the Italian seasoning of the dish. You can use fresh herbs if you prefer, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Salt and Pepper – To season the stuffed pasta shells and ground beef sauce.

Ricotta cheese, spinach, parmesan cheese, salt, and egg in a mixing bowl.

Spinach and ricotta cheese mixture for stuffed shells with meat.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free jumbo pasta shells.

To Make it Dairy-Free: Use non-dairy ricotta-style cheese and non-dairy mozzarella-style cheese.

Meat sauce in a baking dish with jumbo stuffed shells filled with spinach ricotta cheese mixture on top.

How to Make Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef

Make the ground beef sauce. In a large pot on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, and brown the ground beef. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until tender, then add the garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook for an additional minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add jumbo pasta shells, and cook as per package directions to al dente. Once cooked, strain, and set aside.
Sauté the spinach. In a pan on medium heat, warm a teaspoon of olive oil, then add the chopped spinach, and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently, until wilted.
Make the ricotta filling. In a medium bowl, add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, sautéed spinach, egg, salt, and pepper, and stir until well combined.
Stuff the pasta shells. Once the shells are cooked and cool enough to handle, stuff each pasta shell with a spoonful of the spinach ricotta cheese mixture until each shell is filled.
Fill the baking dish. Spread 2/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, place the stuffed shells on top, top the shells with the remaining sauce, and then sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake until golden. Transfer the baking dish to the oven at 400°F to bake for 20 minutes or until all of the mozzarella cheese is melted and is slightly golden on top.
Serve and enjoy!

You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells with meat and marinara sauce on top in a baking dish.

Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells with meat, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese on top in a baking dish.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

This recipe is a great example of how you can turn a pasta dish into a balanced meal by combining it with the right ingredients. The addition of ground beef and ricotta ensures that these stuffed shells are packed full of protein, and the inclusion of spinach ensures it’s got some fiber too!

Baked stuffed shells with meat in a white baking dish and serving spoon.

Serving Suggestions

These stuffed shells with ground beef are good on their own, however, they also pair well with garlic bread, Caesar salad, green salad, steamed broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.

Jumbo stuffed shell filled with ricotta cheese mixture on a serving spoon with tomato sauce with meat.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Once cooled, the stuffed shells with meat can be stored in the baking dish by covering the top with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or by placing them in an airtight storage container and storing them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: The stuffed shells can be frozen before or after baking. To freeze after baking, allow it to cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic and aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze unbaked, once the baking dish is filled, cover it tightly with plastic and aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months, then bake from frozen at 400°F for 40-50 minutes.

To Reheat: Allow leftovers to thaw, then reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 10-20 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Stuffed shells with meat on a grey plate with fresh basil and parmesan on top.

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