stuff it

By now, y’all know my love of all things “stuffed.” I previously posted recipes for stuffed squash and stuffed peppers. If you haven’t tried them already, you should. They are both delish. If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember some stuffed shells I posted a couple of weeks ago. They were so good… even the boys liked them which is saying a lot. I made this up, and didn’t know how it would turn out. Sorry for the lack of photos along the way.

Turkey Stuffed Shells

1/2 box of jumbo shells (I used Barilla. Finding the shells is the hardest part of this recipe.)
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion (diced)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups marinara or pasta sauce (I used Giada Creamy Tomato… our Target stopped carrying it, and I am not happy.)
5-6 chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (I just happened to have some, would be just as good without.)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the shells in boiling, salted water for nine minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan (medium low heat), and add the garlic and onion. Stir it frequently or the garlic will burn. Burned garlic equals start over. Transfer to a mixing bowl when the onions are translucent.
3. Add the turkey (and a little salt and pepper) to the pan and cook until done. Add it to the mixing bowl.
4. Add the ricotta and a half cup of the mozzarella. Or a cup. Honestly, I can’t remember how much I used. Go with a cup… the cheesier the better.
5. Stir in the pasta sauce. Start out slow… you may not need the entire amount. You just want the turkey mixture to be moist (hate that word, but it was necessary) but not super soupy.
6. Stir in the chopped basil.
7. Pam a 9X13 baking dish and spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom.
8. Stuff the pasta shells with the turkey mixture and add them to the baking dish.
9. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top. I also added parmesan. The cheesier the better, remember?
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Before

After

Aren’t they pretty? Throw in a salad and some garlic bread, and you are set. Happy Monday!

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2 Comments

  1. Hey, we do most of the same but use frozen chopped spinach instead of the turkey. Emmett and Nick love it! Maybe something to try next. 😉 An extra way to get a little more veggies in their lives, too.

    • That is a great idea, Heather. I also thought about adding a can of petite diced tomatoes to the onion mixture for more veggies. Maybe I can sneak both in next time. I hope y’all are doing well… miss you!