Stuffed Shells With Sweet Sauce
4
servings30
minutes30
minutesSay hello to one of my FAVORITE guilty pleasure dinner recipes! This was a recipe I grew up on & let me tell ya: it’s all in the sauce! I know it’s the “great debate” whether or not tomato sauces should be sweet – but I am on team sweet! If you haven’t tried your tomato sauce sweet….just give it a shot. I don’t think you’ll regret it! I even have switched Nick over to the sweet side!
This is a great dish when you are serving a large group for holidays or special occasions. This is also my go-to meal to premake and drop off for a family or friend that needs a good meal! The leftovers the next day are just as good, let me tell ya. Hope y’all love this one as much as I do!
Ingredients
24 jumbo pasta shells
15 oz. ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
2 TB parsley
1 TB basil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt + pepper to taste
2 TB chopped fresh basil
- Sweet Sauce
2 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 (29 oz.) tomato pure
1 can can tomato sauce
3 TB dried basil
2 TB minced garlic
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 bay leaf
salt + pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook shell noodles according to box instructions.
- Combine all sauce ingredients, adding spices last, into large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 25 minutes!
- Once sauce is made, spread an even layer of sauce onto the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, parsley, basil, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and salt + pepper. Stir until full combined!
- Fill each cooked shell with ricotta mixture and place into the sauce in the baking dish. Repeat until dish is packed with shells.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese over the top.
- Cover dish with foil & bake for 20 minutes. Then, uncover the dish and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra parmesan & chopped fresh basil!
