Stuffed Shells Recipe

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir well to coat in the olive oil. Cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the onions. Mix well and continue to cook for an additional 30-60 seconds.

Increase heat to medium-high. Mix in the tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously for approximately 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and sugar and mix well to combine.

Cook the sauce, mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to come to a low simmer before reducing heat to low. Allow the sauce to cook, uncovered, for approximately 25 minutes, mashing occasionally as needed.

If you prefer a smoother sauce, transfer part, or all, of the sauce to a large blender and process until desired consistency is reached. Return the sauce back to the pot and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until al dente (I like to cook mine at least 1-2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time to prevent them from overcooking and becoming soggy). Drain and rinse shells with cold water. Immediately transfer shells to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1-2 cups of prepared pasta sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.

Transfer the eggs, ricotta cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the shredded parmesan cheese and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to the ricotta mixture and mix again.

Fill each shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the prepared cheese mixture and transfer to the prepared baking pan.

Spoon additional sauce on and around the shells and sprinkle with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese (and chopped parsley, if desired).

Tent the baking pan with foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake until golden, approximately 20-25 minutes. For a golden cheesy top, remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.