Recipes

Shells with Italian Sausage and Ricotta Stuffing

50 minutes

4.9 of 5 Average (15 reviews)

Shells and cheese can be a great snack, but Johnsonville can transform it into a meal! This recipe combines all of your favorite Italian cheeses with the savory deliciousness of Johnsonville Italian Sausages. The result? An authentic Italian dish that will leave your stomach full and happy!

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Lunch, Dinner, Pasta, Italian Sausage

Ingredients Directions Reviews Print Recipe

1 box
(12.5 ounce) jumbo shells, cooked al dente
1 tablespoon
extra virgin olive oil
1 package
JOHNSONVILLE® Mild or Sweet Italian Ground Sausage, or links
2 jars
(25 ounces) marinara sauce, or 5 to 6 cups of your favorite sauce
2 large
eggs
1 tub
(15 ounce) ricotta cheese, whole or part skim
4 cups
shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup
grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup
grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup
fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons
fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water.
In a 10 inch skillet, cook sausage on medium heat, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks. Allow it to cook through, then set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Using a pastry brush, coat the sides and bottom of a 15 x 10 x 2 inch baking dish with olive oil. Pour half the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, set aside.
In a large bowl beat the egg, mix in the ricotta, 2 1/2 cups of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, basil, ground pepper and the cooked sausage.
Fill each cooked shell with the sausage mixture and nestle them in sauce. Once all the shells are filled, top them with the remaining sauce, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Bake covered until bubbly, about 45 minutes.
Uncover and continue cooking about 5 more minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.